title: Sinus histiocytosis mimicking metastatic melanoma in lymph nodes of a patient with a large joint prosthesis: case report and review of the literature.
abstract: Malignant melanoma metastases to regional lymph nodes may be mimicked by several non-neoplastic processes, including sinus histiocytosis induced by fragments shed from joint prostheses. A patient who had an elective lymph node dissection for malignant melanoma and was found to have "post-prosthesis lymph node histiocytosis" resembling metastatic disease is described. Knowledge of the patient's past history of a total shoulder joint replacement along with the use of polarized light microscopy to identify birefringent particles of prosthetic debris allows for an accurate histologic diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York 10016, USA.
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Charny
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jacobowitz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Melamed
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tata
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Harris
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D015618:Histiocytosis, Sinus / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007595:Joint Prosthesis; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D012785:Shoulder Joint; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery