Tuberous sclerosis with unusual giant ungual fibromas

Acral lesions in tuberous sclerosis complex: insights into pathogenesis

BACKGROUND

Patients with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) are predisposed to developing ungual fibromas and other acral lesions.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to determine the numbers, types, and locations of acral skin lesions in TSC.

METHODS

We examined and photographed 76 adult women with TSC.

RESULTS

The age of the patients ranged from 20 to 69 years, with a mean age of 39 +/- 11 years. Ungual fibromas were observed in 61 of 76 patients (80%). Periungual fibromas were more common than subungual fibromas, were more common on the feet than the hands, and showed the greatest frequency on the fifth toe. Longitudinal grooves in the nails occurred with or without a visible fibroma. Longitudinal short red streaks--lesions that we term "red comets"--were observed in 22 patients (29%). Longitudinal leukonychia was observed in 14 patients (18%). One patient had isolated digital overgrowth and one patient had pachydermodactyly.

LIMITATIONS

No men or children were included in this study.

CONCLUSIONS

Examination of patients for skin lesions of TSC could be improved by including inspection for longitudinal nail grooves, red comets, longitudinal leukonychia, and splinter hemorrhages in addition to ungual fibromas. The anatomic distribution of TSC ungual fibromas is not random and appears consistent with trauma-promoted tumor formation.

Subependymal giant cell astrocytoma: a report of five cases

Five cases of intraventricular subependymal giant cell astrocytomas (SEGCA) were retrospectively reviewed. Records and detailed work-up of all five cases were well maintained in view of rare occurrence of these tumors. The five patients were males aged 10, 12 (2 cases), 14 and 18 years. The 18-year-old aged male had no stigmata of tuberous sclerosis (TSC) on examination, while the rest presented with features of TSC, intraventricular tumors and hydrocephalus. None of the five cases had renal tumors and did not reveal cardiac tumors. Skin manifestations like shagreen patches were present in two, facial angiofibromas in three, periungal fibromas in two, hypopigmented macules in two and ash-leaf spot in two patients. Fundoscopic examination revealed retinal astrocytomas in two cases only. Two of the five children did not have mental compromise. A child who started throwing seizures early (at 5 months of age) had severe mental retardation. Although SEGCA is a less vascular tumor, one tumor bled profusely intraoperatively; it was excised rapidly via the transcortical route to salvage the life of the child, though he was planned for the transcallosal route like the other cases. The tumor of another child was also very vascular. Four children survived surgery and required no shunt CSF diversion, while one died of severe ventriculitis and septicemia 3 weeks after surgery.