title: Giant congenital melanocytic nevus: report from 30 years of experience in a single department.
abstract: Giant congenital melanocytic nevi (GCMN) occur in 1:20,000 livebirths and are associated with increased risk of malignant transformation. The treatment of GCMN from 1981 to 2010 in a tertiary referral center was reviewed evaluating the modalities used, cosmetic results, associated complications, and malignant transformation. Of 35 patients, 25 underwent surgery. Curettage was most frequently used (64%) followed by excision and tissue expansion (20%). Six percent of the patients treated with curettage, and 78% of the patients who received excision surgery required more than 1 planned procedure, and 25% versus 44% required unplanned additional surgery, respectively. Complications were noted in 25% and 67% of the patients, respectively. Cosmetic result was satisfying in 76% of patients without difference between the groups. No malignant transformation was found during a mean follow-up of 11 years. Curettage is a gentle alternative to excision with a lower complication rate and good cosmetic outcome.
authors.affiliation: From the *Department of Plastic Surgery, Breast Surgery and Burns, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, København Ø; and †Department of Plastic Surgery, Roskilde University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark.
authors.forename: Bo Sonnich
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: Trine Foged
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Henriksen
authors.forename: Stig-Frederik Trojahn
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Kølle
authors.forename: Grethe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schmidt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003475:Curettage; D062109:Dermatologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009508:Nevus, Pigmented / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D016038:Skin Transplantation; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D015626:Tissue Expansion; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult