Pressure (decubitus) ulcers occur in approximately 4% of hospitalized patients. Patients in intensive care units are particularly at risk because they are relatively im mobile. Prolonged pressure, shearing forces, friction, and moisture are all etiological factors. Pressure ulcers may be complicated by infection and, rarely, carcinoma. Prevention depends on excellent nursing care that con centrates on meticulous skin care and relief of pressure. Once a pressure ulcer occurs, alleviation of local pres sure, maintenance of a clean ulcer base, promotion of new skin growth, and attention to nutritional and other medical conditions that might debilitate the patient fur ther are all necessary for healing.

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A case of congenital self-healing reticulohistiocytosis is described. The case is different from those previously described because papulovesicles, rather than the papulonodules that are usually characteristic of this disease, predominated. All lesions regressed within 2 months of presentation, and at 2-year follow-up, the patient continues to develop normally without recurrence of the eruption or progression to internal organ involvement. Electron microscopic examination revealed numerous Langerhans' granules admixed with myelinlike laminated dense granules characteristic of this disease. The unique physical presentation in this case, as well as the criteria used to differentiate this disorder from the more malignant forms of histiocytosis and other childhood papulovesicular eruptions, is emphasized.