title: Chronic expanding hematoma might be a potential insidious challenge for orthopedic surgeon.
abstract: Chronic expanding hematomas can cause alarm both to the physician and to the patient because they simulate the growth of a malignant tumor. It is not always possible to bring back the cause to a specific traumatic event that the patient can remember. At this purpose, it is important to have a precise diagnosis when dealing with a growing mass and to exclude any malignancy before processing any treatment. In this article, we report the case of a young patient admitted to our department with a suspected soft tissue sarcoma, but imaging study and histological examination revealed to be hematoma. The authors want to emphasize the necessity of performing a complete clinical and instrumental study when surgeon has to deal with a growing mass. From accurate analysis of imaging, it is often possible to discriminate between malignancy and other benign forms.
authors.affiliation: I° Orthopaedic Department, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, Via Pupilli, 1, 40100, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pignatti
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rani
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carubbi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017541:Aneurysm, False / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003646:Debridement; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D006406:Hematoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007873:Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013848:Thigh; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed