title: Multiple blue nevi of the vagina. A case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Melanotic lesions of the vagina are very rare; clinically, most are suspected to be malignant melanomas. Occasional benign cases, however, require differential diagnostic consideration. We report a case of multiple (benign) blue nevi of the vagina.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 51-year-old woman presented with bluish black macules irregularly distributed throughout the vagina. Biopsies revealed pigmented cells in the dermis that proved to be melanocytes. The patient received no therapy. The lesions remained unchanged in the follow-up period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Multiple blue nevi could be a differential diagnosis for malignant melanoma of the vagina. Our patient showed no malignant transformation over a 29-year period. Therapy for blue nevi in the vagina does not require complete excision.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, University Hospital, Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Heim
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Höpfl
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Müller-Holzner
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bergant
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Dapunt
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008545:Melanoma; D008875:Middle Aged; D018329:Nevus, Blue / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D014621:Vagina