KERATOMA PALMARE ET PLANTARE HEREDITARIUM

Abstract

DEFINITION AND NOMENCLATURE Keratoma palmare et plantare hereditarium is a congenital, symmetrical thickening of the horny layer of the epidermis of the palms and the soles. The term was first used by Unna,¹and it still appears to be the best one. The condition was first described by Thost²in 1880 in Heidelberg under the title of congenital ichthyosis of the palms and soles. Hebra^>3called it tylosis of the palms and soles, while in some textbooks of dermatology it enjoys such names as congenital hyperkeratosis of the palms and soles and keratoderma of the palms and soles. The lesion is diffuse and appears at birth or soon thereafter. This condition differs from that which has been called by names such as hereditary disseminate keratoma of the palms and soles (Brauer⁴), disseminate macular keratoderma of the palms and soles (Buschke and Fischer⁵) and