(lī'kən plā'nəs)
n
1. a disease of unknown etiology affecting the skin and oral mucous membranes, either alone or concomitantly. The oral lesions are most common on the buccal mucous membrane, where they appear as a lacy pattern or bilateral network of raised white or bluish-white, porcelain-like fine lines or a series of small, similarly appearing dots. The lesions are painless. On the tongue the lesions may appear as flat white plaques resembling leukoplakia. 2. a dermatologic disease affecting the skin and mucous membranes; of unknown etiology but often associated with nervousness, fatigue, emotional depression, and allergy and considered to be a manifestation of quinacrine (Atabrine) therapy. Oral lesions often appear as white or blue-white striae forming an interweaving lacelike network of lines of epithelial thickening. Associated with the striated network; bullous or erosive lesions may be found. Histologically, varying degrees of hyperkeratosis and epithelial acanthosis may be found, with formation of sawtooth-shaped retepegs of epithelium projecting into connective tissue corium. Subjacent to the epithelium is a bandlike infiltrate of round cells with perivascular accumulation of leukocytes. Treatment is symptomatic.
Lichen planus. (Regezi/Sciubba/Jordan, 2003)
