Case report of the successful treatment of pemphigus vulgaris using ovine forestomach matrix graft

Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is a subtype of pemphigus and life-altering disorder that results in the formation of intraepithelial blisters in mucosa and skin. Though the etiology is not well understood, it is an autoimmune disorder resulting in acantholytic blisters due to auto-antibodies targeting proteins of keratinocyte adhesion. Rapid diagnosis and restoration of the epidermal layer is imperative for patients with PV as widespread epidermal damage can lead to high morbidity and mortality rates. This case report presents the treatment of PV in a 53-year-old female who presented after 9 months of worsening symptoms and 30% total body surface area blistering. Most of the lesion was re-epithelialized in 1 week, with complete healing in 4 weeks following a single application of ovine forestomach matrix (OFM) graft. This case represents the first report of the use of OFM to aid regeneration of epithelial lesions resulting from an autoimmune bullous disease.