Management of patients with congenital epidermolysis bullosa

Abstract

Congenital epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of hereditary skin diseases characterized by the formation of blisters and/or erosions in response to minimal trauma. Etiopathogenetic methods for treating the disease are undergoing various stages of clinical research; therefore, external therapy implying caring for affected and non-affected skin remains to be the main treatment method. Such a therapy aims to reduce the healing period of erosive and ulcerative skin defects, thus improving the overall quality of patients’ life. This review sets out to provide clinical recommendations for the management of EB patients developed by different groups of experts, which generalize methods for treating EB patients, main principles of external therapy and relieving subjective sensations, as well as to describe specific situations entailing this pathology.

Keywords

• congenital epidermolysis bullosa
• erosions
• ulcers
• non-adhesive dressings
• dressings
• wound dressings
• skin care
• squamous skin cancer