"Pseudosarcoma" in a pregnant woman

Amarjit Anand , Eva Maria Tsapakis , Ali A Narvani , Ali Alhakim , Steve R Cannon and Eleftherios Tsiridis

Royal Free and University College London Hospitals, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Bone Tumour Unit, Brockley Hill, Stanmore, Middlesex, HA7 4L, UK

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World Journal of Surgical Oncology 2007, 5:7doi:10.1186/1477-7819-5-7


Published:	18 January 2007

Abstract

Background

Intravascular fasciitis (IVF) is a rare benign condition characterised by reactive myofibroblastic proliferation arising from the superficial or deep fascia and involving arteries and/or veins. It is a distinct variant of the more common condition of nodular fasciitis, which possesses similar clinical and histological features to IVF, but lacks vascular invasion. A thorough review of the literature revealed 26 reported cases of IVF.

Case presentation

We report a case of IVF in a 16-week pregnant lady affecting the hypothenar eminence of the hand associated with the ulnar artery.

Conclusion

The characteristic involvement of muscular arteries and veins by reactive myofibroblastic proliferation in IVF suggests a malignant component and often leads to an inappropriate diagnosis for this benign condition. We propose that hormone-related changes associated with pregnancy may play an important role in the aetiopathogenesis of this myofibroblastic lesion.