cicatricial pemphigoid

cicatricial pemphigoid

Etymology: L, cicatrix, scar; Gk, pemphix, blister or bubble + eidos, form

a benign, chronic, usually bilateral, subepidermal blistering disease chiefly involving the mucous membranes, especially those of the mouth and eye. It heals by scarring and may lead to slow shrinkage of the affected tissues, and to blindness if untreated. Also called benign mucosal pemphigoid.

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cicatricial pemphigoid (siktrishl pem´figoid´),

n See pemphigoid, benign mucous membrane.

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pemphigoid

1. resembling pemphigus.

2. a group of skin disorders similar to but clearly distinguishable from pemphigus.

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bullous pemphigoid

an autoimmune disease of skin and oral mucosa with vesicles, bullae and ulcerations; occurs rarely in dogs and humans.

cicatricial pemphigoid

a form that involves the oral and ocular mucosa.

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pemphigoid, cicatricial 

A rare, idiopathic, chronic systemic disease, most commonly of the elderly and characterized by recurrent blisters and bullae of the skin and mucous membranes, with subsequent scarring and shrinkage. The disease may affect only the conjunctiva (ocular pemphigoid). In this case, the clinical picture is a conjunctivitis with hyperaemia, mucous discharge and small vesicles, which on bursting result in ulceration, pseudomembranes, conjunctival subepithelial fibrosis and conjunctival shrinkage. The disease may give rise to adhesion between the palpebral and bulbar conjunctiva (symblepharon), ankyloblepharon, xerophthalmia, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, entropion, trichiasis and dry eye with corneal ulcer. There is pain or irritation and blurred vision. Treatment includes corticosteroids, surgery for entropion and trichiasis, and keratoprosthesis if vision is affected. Syn. benign mucous pemphigoid. See pseudomembranous conjunctivitis; Stevens-Johnson syndrome; ocular ferning test.