title: Limb salvage surgery in the excision of a massive fibromatosis.
abstract: Fibromatosis is a rare fibroproliferative disorder with a tendency for local infiltrative and destructive growth. Local recurrence is frequent, despite apparent complete resection after radical excision. We present a case of a 22-year-old woman with massive recurrent thoracic fibromatosis extending into the neck and impairing the function of her right upper limb. This required a multidisciplinary approach to surgery to salvage the limb. The case highlights the fact that while every attempt should be made to achieve negative histologic margins, local recurrence is not uncommon. Therefore, if fibromatosis occurs adjacent to or involves vital structures, these should not be sacrificed to achieve negative margins. Function and structure preserving procedures are important as the primary goal, if not even more important.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Karen C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Redmond
authors.forename: Madhankumar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kuppusamy
authors.forename: Andrew G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Nicholson
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Searle
authors.forename: Meirion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Goldstraw
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001132:Arm / Q000601:surgery*; D001706:Biopsy; D005260:Female; D005350:Fibroma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D023821:Limb Salvage / Q000379:methods*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D035441:Thoracic Wall; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed