Annual Meeting Session Highlights Clinical Pearls in Medical Dermatology

Synthesizing peer-reviewed literature and years of experience, Robert T. Brodell, MD, helps to conclude the 2023 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology with therapeutic and diagnostic clinical pearls in medical terminology.

Brodell, MD, who is tenured professor and founding chair of the department of dermatology, professor in the department of pathology, and Billy S Guyton Distinguished Professor at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC), told Dermatology Times® his talk will highlight a favorite topic of his: deliberative biopsy, because “every medical dermatologist does procedures in their office every single day.” 

“All of us know about something which is called clinical pathologic correlation, and generally we think about holding a report in our hands and talking to the patient about their clinical findings, and what's in the pathology report,” explained Brodell. “But I contend that clinical pathologic correlation must start before the blade or the punch touches the patient's skin.” 

Brodell shared an example: “Let's say you have 2 adjacent lesions, and one looks like a more like a basal cell carcinoma. You can draw a line on that specimen right smack down between the center of both lesions,” he said. 

“You'll do your punch by sector,” Brodell continued. “You're going to see both specimens, guaranteed, [and] not take the chance that they're going to bisect it right down between the 2, in which case you see nothing and they've got to do recuts.”

Brodell noted his session will feature colleagues with additional clinical pearls and take-home lessons. For instance, Andrew F. Alexis, MD, MPH, the Vice-Chair for Diversity and Inclusion for the Department of Dermatology and dermatologist at the Center for Diverse Skin Complexions at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City, will share his experiences and experience on skin of color. Similarly, for those interested in better supporting younger patients, Thy Nhat Huynh, MD, assistant professor of dermatology and pediatrics at UMMC, will highlight clinical pearls in pediatric dermatology. Surgical dermatology pearls will be addressed by Christopher J Arpey, MD, Chair of the department of dermatology at the Mayo Clinic. Finally, therapeutic and diagnostic pearls in contact dermatitis will be discussed by Christen M. Mowad, MD, director of the Contact and Occupational Dermatitis Clinic at Geisinger Medical Center.

The session, which is sure to contain helpful tips and tools, will be held on Tuesday, March 21, 2023, at 10:15 am.

Disclosures

According to the AAD Annual Meeting, Dr Brodell has the following disclosures: advisory board (honoraria): Amgen, Novan; investigator(grants/research funding): Corrona, Inc., Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp., Pfizer Inc.; stockholder (stock): VeraDermics Inc.