Intramuscular hemangioma of the upper extremity in infants and children.
OBJECTIVE
Intramuscular hemangiomas (IMHs) are benign tumors comprising just 0.8% of all hemangiomas and are extremely rare in the upper limbs. These tumors can pose diagnostic as well as therapeutic challenges for orthopaedic surgeons, especially in younger children. We reviewed cases of IMH of the upper extremity in infants and children from our institute.


METHODS
Six consecutive patients underwent surgical treatment for IMH in our hospital. There were 4 girls and 2 boys. Long-standing pain and swelling were common symptoms except in a 1-year-old boy. Tumors were evaluated by radiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and angiography.


RESULTS
After a mean follow-up of 42 months, all patients except one were free of pain and without tumor recurrence or functional impairment. Minimal symptoms remained in a 6-year-old boy who underwent biopsy only.


CONCLUSIONS
Magnetic resonance imaging is the most useful evaluation for IMH because it not only delineates the extent of tumor but also reveals characteristic structures. For young children with IMH, wide excision is the treatment of choice to prevent local recurrence, but every patient should be treated individually after evaluating the patient's age, tumor location and invasion, and cosmetic considerations.


METHODS
Therapeutic study-level III.
Muramatsu
Keiichi
K
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Yamaguchi University School of Medicine,Yamaguchi, Japan. muramatu@yamaguchi-u.ac.jp
Ihara
Koichiro
K
Tani
Yasuhiro
Y
Chagawa
Kazuki
K
Taguchi
Toshihiko
T
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D019042:Muscle Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*