title: Head and neck pilomatrixoma in children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide a review of the current information on the etiology, clinical presentation, management, and outcome of pilomatrixoma of the head and neck in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review.
  
  
  METHODS
  A tertiary care pediatric center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-one pediatric patients with a diagnosis of pilomatrixoma of the head and neck.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients underwent excision of pilomatrixoma from January 1997 to March 1999. A total of 55 tumors were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A preponderance of girls (n = 36; 71%) presented with this condition. The average age at diagnosis was 5.7 years, and the average size of the lesion was 1 cm. The skin of the cheek and the periorbital area were the most commonly involved sites. Only 27 lesions (49%) had a correct preoperative diagnosis. Two (4%) of 55 tumors recurred after complete surgical excision.
  
  
  METHODS
  The age and sex of the patient, preoperative diagnosis, time elapsed before diagnosis, site and size of the tumor, length of follow-up, presence of multiple or previous pilomatrixomas, and recurrence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preoperative diagnosis may be improved with increased awareness of pilomatrixoma, a common, benign skin tumor in children. Clinical findings will aid in an accurate diagnosis. Recurrence after complete local excision is rare.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery, University of Illinois Hospital at Chicago, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Danielson-Cohen
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maddalozzo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006201:Hair Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D018296:Pilomatrixoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery