title: A facial inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour in a 6-year-old girl: plastic surgery lessons from a rare case.
abstract: Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumours (IMT) are rare, challenging lesions with respect to differential diagnosis, biological behaviour and treatment. We reviewed the literature and report a unique case of a large (9 × 8 × 8 cm) IMT in the nasal region of a 6-year-old girl responsible for important facial deformation. Following surgical resection, without any craniofacial reconstruction, the dysmorphism regressed spontaneously with a good result at 2 years of follow-up. To date, this is the largest IMT reported. Surprisingly, after simple excision of the tumour the craniofacial bones and soft tissues regained spontaneously their normal anatomical position only after a few months. The bone plasticity was likely due to the young age of patient and the preservation of periosteum and muscles during the surgical excision. We conclude that a conservative approach may be considered as alternative to reconstructive surgery in particular cases in young subjects.
authors.affiliation: Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery Unit, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, Rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4, 1211 Geneva 14, Switzerland. samgh0@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Modarressi
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pietramaggiori
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bezzola
authors.forename: Sylvain
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lacroix
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.forename: Benedict
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rilliet
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pittet
mesh_terms: D001861:Bone Regeneration; D002648:Child; D005147:Facial Bones / Q000254:growth & development; D005153:Facial Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006104:Granuloma, Plasma Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D058628:Myofibroblasts / Q000473:pathology*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D009379:Neoplasms, Muscle Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D011859:Radiography; D016896:Treatment Outcome