Collodion Baby

Diagnosis: Collodion Baby

Collodion baby with incipient lamellar ichthyosis.

Clinical Presentation

Collodion baby with incipient lamellar ichthyosis.

Clinical History

Submitted by Alaa Saad. Originally posted September 17, 2010.

Treatment

See case discussion.

Differential Diagnosis

• Harlequin ichthyosis • Lamellar ichthyosis • Congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma • Gaucher disease type 2 • Self-healing collodion baby

Key Learnings

• Born encased in a tight, shiny, translucent membrane (collodion membrane) • A phenotype, not a diagnosis — most commonly evolves into lamellar ichthyosis or congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma • ~10% are "self-healing" collodion babies with normal underlying skin • Neonatal complications: ectropion, eclabion, restricted breathing, feeding difficulties • Risk of fluid loss, temperature instability, and sepsis — NICU care required • Membrane typically sheds within 2-4 weeks

Tags: collodion, baby, alaa saad