title: Connective tissue nevi in children: institutional experience and review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Connective tissue nevi (CTN) are circumscribed hamartomas of the skin in which there is an abnormal mixture of normal components of the dermis that may be sporadic or associated with syndromes such as Buschke-Ollendorff, tuberous sclerosis, and Proteus.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to specify the clinical and histologic features of CTN in childhood and to propose a diagnostic approach and updated classification.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective study in a tertiary pediatric outpatient population, accessing clinical and histopathological records.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We classified 114 cases of CTN from 1980 to 2008.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of cases were confirmed by histopathological examination. Therefore, our series excludes many CTN that were not biopsied. In addition, follow-up was variable.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our series demonstrates the usefulness of a modified classification for CTN. Biopsy should be done when clinical diagnosis is uncertain, or in multiple lesions. When biopsy is performed it should include normal-appearing skin for comparison and, in Buschke-Ollendorff syndrome, limited anterior-posterior x-rays of the hands, wrists, feet, ankles, knees, and pelvis instead of a full skeletal survey.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Division of Dermatology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, University of Montreal, Montréal, Québec, Canada. catherine_mccuaig@ssss.gouv.qc.ca
authors: Catherine C
authors: CC
authors: McCuaig
authors: Caridad
authors: C
authors: Vera
authors: Victor
authors: V
authors: Kokta
authors: Danielle
authors: D
authors: Marcoux
authors: Afshin
authors: A
authors: Hatami
authors: Thusanth
authors: T
authors: Thuraisingam
authors: Dominique
authors: D
authors: Marton
authors: Geneviève
authors: G
authors: Fortier-Riberdy
authors: Julie
authors: J
authors: Powell
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003095:Collagen Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D003240:Connective Tissue Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006222:Hamartoma / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009506:Nevus / Q000473:pathology*; D010023:Osteopoikilosis / Q000473:pathology; D016715:Proteus Syndrome / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012873:Skin Diseases, Genetic / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D014402:Tuberous Sclerosis / Q000473:pathology