title: Excision of a giant anterior chest wall neurofibroma and chest wall reconstruction with methlymethacrylate and vertical rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap: case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Plexiformneurofibromas (PNFs) are benign nerve tumours resulting from aberrant growth of cells of nerve sheath. PNFs are generally painless, slow growing neoplasms. Although most neoplasms are asymptomatic, they can be particularly debilitating due to their potential to grow to very large sizes. They have potential for transformation into highly malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours which occur in approximately 5% of patients. They can affect most parts of the body. When they occur in the chest wall, they are amenable to excision. Following excision, a surgeon is faced with a large skeletal and soft tissue defects which pose functional and cosmetic challenges.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present a 24-year-old farmer that presented with a giant anterior chest wall plexiformneurofibroma that was noticed since childhood. He had excision of the mass and skeletal reconstruction with methylmethacrylate sandwiched in prolene mesh and softtissue coverage with vertical rectus abdominismusculocutaneous flap.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that the use of methylmethacrylate and myocutaneous flaps give both good functional and cosmetic outcome following excision of large chest wall tumours.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Abubakar
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Legbo
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Opara
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Sahabi
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Abubakar
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jacob
authors.forename: E B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Kesieme
authors.forename: E K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Okonta
mesh_terms: D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009455:Neurofibroma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D017568:Rectus Abdominis / Q000601:surgery*; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D035441:Thoracic Wall / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult