PEDIATRIC DERMATOLOGY

Clinical Overview

Under the co-direction of Lawrence A. Schachner, M.D. and Elizabeth Alvarez Connelly, M.D., the mission of the division of Pediatric Dermatology is to provide excellent clinical care and promote research and education in skin diseases of infancy, childhood and adolescence.

The Pediatric Dermatology Division

Lawrence A. Schachner, M.D., is Chairman and Harvey Blank Professor of the Department of Dermatology, Professor of Pediatrics, and Co-Director of the Division of Pediatric Dermatology. Dr. Schachner has written over 150 scientific publications and is best known as the lead author of the textbook Pediatric Dermatology. In 2004, Dr. Schachner was named “Practitioner of the Year” by the Florida Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery. The nearly 800 dermatologists in the state lauded him for his longtime commitment to pediatric dermatology. He is past president of the American Society for Pediatric Dermatology and has been cited in numerous periodicals of best doctors, including The Best Doctors in America 1992 to present, Who’s Who in America, and the Guide to Top Doctors. Dr. Schachner’s interests include bioengineered skin in pediatric wounds, skin infections and infestations in children, sun protection in childhood, cutaneous signs of child and sexual abuse, and new therapeutic modalities for acne, eczema, and epidermolysis Bullosa.

In 2005, Elizabeth Alvarez Connelly, M.D., joined the faculty. She is Assistant Professor of the Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery and the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine. Dr. Connelly also co-directs the Division of the Pediatric Dermatology with Dr. Schachner. She has co-authored several publications in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, Journal of Dermatological Treatments, American Journal of the Medical Sciences, Journal of Pediatric Dermatology and Pediatric Annals. Dr. Connelly has committed interests including vascular tumors and malformations, eczema, inherited skin disorders, pediatric dermatology laser and surgery.

Marcela Grubman A.R.N.P. completed her Pediatric Nurse Practitioner training at Emory University in 1996. In 2001, she received her training from Dr. Schachner. Currently, she is functioning as our Pediatric Dermatology nurse practitioner and serves as coordinator of all specialty clinics. She can be reached via e-mail at mgrubman2@med.miami.edu.

Patient Care

The division sees approximately 60 Pediatric Dermatology outpatients’ visits weekly in our Cedars office at 1295 N.W. 14th Street, Ste. K. Of these approximately 3,000 office visits per year, 25% are new patients. The clinic is staffed by physicians and residents from Pediatrics and Dermatology and students can elect a Pediatric Dermatology rotation with Dr. Schachner and Dr. Connelly who serve as attending physicians. Due to the complexity of diseases seen in the division, several specialty clinics have been created to meet the needs of our patients in a multi-disciplinary manner.

The following specialty clinics are offered on a monthly or quarterly basis:

1. Genodermatoses.
2. Vascular lesions with special interest in hemangiomas.
3. Epidermolysis Bullosa.
4. Laser and Surgery Clinics.

For appointments, please call our nurse practitioner, Marcela Grubman at 305-243-3031.

The Jackson Memorial Hospital Pediatric Dermatology Clinic serves between 40 and 50 patients per clinical session each Friday afternoon. This clinic is directed by Dr. Connelly as well. Yearly visits total over 2,000. An estimated one third of the visits involve new patients. Residents from pediatrics, dermatology, family practice and internal medicine attend this clinic; additionally students on the pediatric rotation and students on the dermatology rotation also attend. In addition to operating the Jackson Memorial Hospital Pediatric Dermatology Clinic, the division provides consultative services for inpatient and outpatient pediatric patients at the Children's Hospital in the Holtz Center for Maternal and Child Health at Jackson Memorial Hospital. A study published in the Archives of Dermatology by members of the division indicated that 23% of all dermatology inpatient consultations at Jackson Memorial Hospital are from the Department of Pediatrics, making it the second most frequent recipient of consultations at the medical center.

The Pediatric Dermatology Laser Program

The Pediatric Dermatology Laser program directed by Dr. Connelly cares for patients with vascular malformations such as port-wine stains and vascular tumors including infantile hemangiomas. Pulse-dyed laser therapy is performed twice a month under local anesthesia and once a month under general anesthesia. All treatments are done on an outpatient basis. For appointments, please call our nurse practitioner, Marcela Grubman at 305-243-3031.

Medical Education

Medical education is offered in the following formats:

Electives: The division offers an elective month in pediatric dermatology and a second month in pediatric dermatology research for pediatric residents and medical students. The elective has been filled each year with a usual ratio of nine pediatric residents to three dermatology-oriented fourth year medical students.

Clinic: The Pediatric Dermatology Clinic at Jackson Memorial Hospital is attended by six dermatology residents, two pediatric residents, and four University of Miami School of Medicine medical students on pediatric rotation.

Lectures: Approximately eight lectures per year are given by the division of pediatric dermatology to students, residents and fellows in the Departments of Pediatrics and Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery. Several lectures per year are given to second year medical students as part of the mechanism of disease courses by members of the division of Pediatric Dermatology.

Pediatric Dermatology Clinical Research

Dr. Schachner has conducted over 40 stage II, III, and IV clinical trials for FDA approval and for post-marketing testing. Dr. Schachner's clinical research has included dermatological products for acne, atopic dermatitis and other eczemas, alopecia areata, vascular tumors (including hemangiomas and malformations) psoriasis, skin infections with bacteria, virus and fungus, scabies and mites, epidermolysis bullosa, bioengineered skin, sun protection, diaper dermatitis children's skin products and pediatric wound healing. More therapy oriented and basic studies are also conducted.

Dr. Schachner and Dr. Connelly can be reached for appointments at 305-243-6704 and our nurse practitioner, Marcela Grubman at 305-243-3031. The clinical research unit can be contacted by telephone at 305-243-8485, via facsimile at 305-243-6191.

 

MOHS & LASER

MOHS Micrografic Surgery

Mohs Micrographic surgery is named for Frederick Mohs, a surgeon that developed the procedure in the 1950's. It is the most effective technique available to treat skin cancer. Performed as an out-patient procedure, Mohs Micrographic surgery entirely removes the affected area while sparing the surrounding healthy skin.

Mohs Micrographic surgery is commonly used to remove large tumors, tumors in hard-to-treat places, recurrent tumors, and those occurring in areas where preservation of normal skin is essential (such as the tissue surrounding the eyes or nose). It is most commonly performed on basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, and is useful on melanomas in some cases.

The University of Miami School of Medicine, Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery offers a state-of-the-art Mohs surgical unit at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Keyvan Nouri is the Director of MOHS Surgery and Director of MOHS/Laser Center at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Lasers

Recent innovations in laser technologies now allow for the successful treatment of a variety of previously difficult-to-treat skin conditions. The University of Miami School of Medicine, Mohs/Laser Center, offers state-of-the-art lasers in the treatment of a variety of conditions including, but not limited to: hair removal, port wine stains, hemangiomas, tattoos, birthmarks, spider veins, facial and leg veins, pigmented growths such as freckles, nevus of ota/ito and café au lait macules, wrinkles/rhytides, scars, keloids, and destruction of growths such as viral warts and epidermal nevi. The full-time experienced staff assigned to the Center, coordinates laser treatments .

For further information or to arrange for a consultation, call Dr. Keyvan Nouri, Director of University of Miami Laser Center, 305-243-4183.

COSMETIC DERMATOLOGY DIVISION

We are committed to providing scientifically-proven cosmetic treatments in an academic environment. We treat our patients with procedures and methods that enhance beauty, and slow the effects of aging. We realize that emphasis must be placed on prevention; therefore we educate our patients on proper skin care techniques, nutrition, vitamin supplementation, and we design skin care regimens according to the individual needs of the patient. Some of the procedures available include BOTOX, numerous dermal fillers including Collagen/Cosmoderm/Cosmoplast, Restylane and Hylaform, chemical peels, laser hair removal, lasers for spider veins, intensed pulse light therapy, and more.

As an academic institution, we are on the cutting edge of cosmetic research—we perform clinical trials, FDA trials and other research with many major pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and herbal medicine companies. In addition, we perform our own research to develop new cosmetic treatments and to examine the efficacy of currently used therapies.

DERMATOPATHOLOGY DIVISION

The University of Miami , School of Medicine has one of the longest standing dermatopathology programs in the country. Since March of 1965, at least one and frequently many faculty have participated in daily evaluation and sign out of dermatology cases. The division as currently has an approved dermatopathology training program and receives more than 25,000 specimens annually for review.

George W. Elgart, M.D., director of the dermatopathology program at the University of Miami , School of Medicine , is certified in dermatology, dermatopathology and immunodermatology. He has led this program since 1993 and has worked with residents, students, and dermatopathology fellows. Paolo Romanelli, M.D. is board certified in dermatology and dermatopathology and participates in daily evaluation and sign out of dermatology cases, as well as being actively involved in resident education.

Cases may be submitted for evaluation with routine cases usually completed in 24 hours.