Cotyledonoid dissecting leiomyoma as a possible cause of chronic lower back pain

Cotyledonoid dissecting leiomyoma of the uterus: a case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Cotyledonoid dissecting leiomyoma, also named Sternberg tumor, is a rare variant of uterine leiomyoma. The tumor is benign, but the appearance and growth pattern are unusual and alarming. In this article, we report a case of cotyledonoid dissecting leiomyoma in a 55-year-old woman as well as review relevant literature.

CASE PRESENTATION

We report a case of cotyledonoid dissecting leiomyoma in a 55-year-old Iranian woman who presented with vaginal bleeding 4 months after menopause. Ultrasound showed two heterogeneous hypoechoic masses on the uterine fundus. Total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy were performed for the patient. Macroscopically, a large heterogeneous intramural mass (140 mm × 120 mm × 120 mm) with a grape-like exophytic mass on the fundus was observed. Her health status was good after surgery, and the patient was discharged from the hospital after 2 days. In a 1-year follow-up period, no recurrence or any other related complications were found.

CONCLUSION

It is important to recognize this rare variant of leiomyoma to prevent aggressive and inappropriate overdiagnosis and overtreatment. It is suggested to try to use frozen sections for better diagnosis and to preserve fertility in young women suffering from this lesion.

The Management of the Cotyledonoid Leiomyoma of the Uterus: A Narrative Review of the Literature

Cotyledonoid leiomyoma is an unusual uterine myoma due to some ultrasound features that mimic a malignant lesion facilitating the choice of radical surgery. This study aims to summarize the ultrasound and the magnetic resonance imaging aspects of this atypical lesion, and also discuss surgical treatment and pathological exam. It included all English case reports or case series until August 2021 found through PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus. A total of 94 cotyledonoid leiomyomas were reported, with a median tumor size of 12 cm. The typical ultrasound image is characterized by a large solid heterogeneous mass, with high vascularity, no shadowing, and indistinct margins within the myometrium. Magnetic resonance imaging shows the presence of merging isointense nodules to the myometrium in T1-weighted images, hyperintense in T2-weighted images, and contrast agent enhancement. Surgical treatment consists of hysterectomy (75 cases, 80%) or myomectomy (19 cases, 20%), without evidence of recurrence if complete. The placenta-like appearance observed during surgery supports this rare fibroid hypothesis. The intraoperative frozen section can be considered. Microscopically, no atypical cells, signs of mitotic activity or cell necrosis are found. To conclude, some preoperative and intraoperative aspects of this lesion are distinctive and may lead surgeons to opt for conservative surgery.

Cotyledonoid dissecting leiomyoma of the uterus: A report of four cases and a review of the literature

Cotyledonoid dissecting leiomyoma (CDL), also termed Sternberg tumor, is a variant of uterine leiomyoma that is rarely diagnosed by clinical evaluation. At present, ~43 cases of CDL have been reported in the literature written in the English language. Due to the distinctive grapelike gross appearance of an exophytic mass resembles placental tissue, CDL is often misdiagnosed clinically as an ovarian tumor or uterine sarcoma. Therefore, an awareness of the features of the disease is important to prevent misdiagnosis and overtreatment. The present study reports 4 cases of CDL of the uterus that were treated at the Second Hospital of Jilin University between January 2009 and December 2011. All 4 patients in the current study presented with a palpable asymptomatic pelvic mass, which was detected during physical examinations, and cancer antigen 125 tumor marker levels that were within the normal range. The exploratory laparotomy of the 4 patients revealed lobulated tumors with a grapelike appearance extending from the lateral uterine wall into the ligament or the adjacent tissues. The frozen section and postoperative pathology were diagnosed as CDL. A total abdominal hysterectomy was performed in the first case of a 55-year-old woman that had been in menopause for 7 years. The patient was well and showed no evidence of disease subsequent to 48 months of follow-up. A total abdominal hysterectomy and right salpingo-oophorectomy were performed in the second case of a 43-year-old woman, who was well and showed no evidence of disease subsequent to 26 months of follow-up. A subtotal abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingectomy were performed in the third case of a 37-year-old woman, who was well and showed no evidence of disease subsequent to 27 months of follow-up. A total abdominal hysterectomy and right-salpingectomy were performed with the removal of a retroperitoneal fibroid extension in the fourth case of a 48-year-old woman, who was well and showed no evidence of disease subsequent to 32 months of follow-up.