Tufted angioma of the maxilla: a rare case with unique clinical presentation

Tufted Angioma of the Index Finger Middle Phalanx

A tufted angioma is a benign vascular tumor of the skin and subcutaneous tissue that classically presents as a violaceous nodule on the trunk or extremities in early childhood. Tufted angiomas of the finger are uncommon, and intraosseous involvement of these tumors is exceedingly rare. When present in the bone, these lesions may be difficult to distinguish from the more common pediatric condition of osteomyelitis or osteoid osteoma. We present the clinical, radiographic, and histopathologic findings for a unique case of a tufted angioma with intraosseous involvement in the middle phalanx treated by surgical excision and curettage with preservation of function.

Tufted angiomas of the head and neck

BACKGROUND

Tufted angiomas (TAs) are uncommon benign vascular tumors mostly located cutaneously or subcutaneously in the skin of the neck and upper trunk, which appear during childhood and grow slowly. TAs are a variant of lobular capillary hemangiomas. This is the first study to provide an overview of the current literature in combination with the authors' own clinical experience on this rare entity in the head and neck area with non-dermatological localization.

METHODS

A selective Medline and Google Scholar database search was performed. Additionally, we conducted an ICD-10-based database search on hemangiomas (D18.0) in the Charité SAP patient records.

RESULTS

We identified 13 reports in the literature consisting of 16 cases of TA of the head and neck. Males were predominantly affected by TAs (70.6%). The mean age of the patients at the time of surgery was 31.5 years; the mean maximum diameter of the tumors was 16.3 mm. Additionally, we report on one case of TA in our Department of Head and Neck Surgery. A male patient presented with swelling and redness of the left upper eyelid. Radiological examination with computed tomography showed a suprabulbar tumor with a diameter of 13 mm. The tumor was surgically removed via a transcutaneous blepharoplasty approach with the patient under general anesthesia.

DISCUSSION

There is only one other case report on the surgical excision of an intra-orbital TA described to date. Here, we present an epidemiological overview, therapeutic considerations, and differential diagnoses.

[Tufted angiomas of the head and neck. German version]

BACKGROUND

Tufted angiomas (TAs) are uncommon benign vascular tumors mostly located cutaneously or subcutaneously in the skin of the neck and upper trunk, which appear during childhood and grow slowly. TAs are a variant of lobular capillary hemangiomas. This is the first study to provide an overview of the current literature in combination with the authors' own clinical experience on this rare entity in the head and neck area with non-dermatological localization.

METHODS

A selective Medline and Google Scholar database search was performed. Additionally, we conducted an ICD-10-based database search on hemangiomas (D18.0) in the Charité SAP patient records.

RESULTS

We identified 13 reports in the literature consisting of 16 cases of TA of the head and neck. Males were predominantly affected by TAs (70.6%). The mean age of the patients at the time of surgery was 31.5 years; the mean maximum diameter of the tumors was 16.3 mm. Additionally, we report on one case of TA in our Department of Head and Neck Surgery. A male patient presented with swelling and redness of the left upper eyelid. Radiological examination with computed tomography showed a suprabulbar tumor with a diameter of 13 mm. The tumor was surgically removed via a transcutaneous blepharoplasty approach with the patient under general anesthesia.

DISCUSSION

There is only one other case report on the surgical excision of an intra- orbital TA described to date. Here, we present an epidemiological overview, therapeutic considerations, and differential diagnoses.