title: [Elastofibroma dorsi: a 7-year follow-up of 37 cases and a review of the literature].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Elastofibroma dorsi (ED) is an infrequent benign, slow growing, soft tissue tumour that is usually located in the scapular zone.
  
  
  METHODS
  A series of 37 ED patients diagnosed and treated in our hospital between August 1993 and November 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. The average follow up was 7 years. Ten of them presented bilaterally. The male/female ratio was 4:3, and the mean age was 57 years. An MRI was performed, and the diagnosis confirmed by histopathology. Seven cases were treated conservatively. The clinical results were evaluated using a visual analogue score (VAS) for pain and a comparison of the range of movement during follow up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Some 18% of the patients worked or practiced sports that called for the use of the affected limb. The 40% of the patients required a post-operative transfusion was required by 40% of the patients, due to having a haemoglobin <8 g/d. The VAS improved from 6 to 2 after the surgery. The range of movement improved on an average of 40. The complications included an infection, 1 hyperalgesic scar, 8 haematomas and 3 seromas, which were resolved in the follow up without incidence. All the patients were free of illness after a mean follow-up of 85 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Good results were achieved with a long follow-up. Based on these results and a literature review of the current state of this pathology, an algorithm for its diagnosis and treatment is suggested.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía Oncológica y Traumatología, Hospital de la Santa Creu y Sant Pau, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, España. fabat@santpau.cat
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Abat
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Álvarez
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Trullols
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peiró
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bagué
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gracia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005350:Fibroma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012540:Scapula; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome