Ledderhose's disease: case study with histologic and ultrastructural analysis

Two cases of Ledderhose's disease (plantar fibromatosis) are described with emphasis on histologic features. This disorder has three histologic stages: in the first, or proliferative, stage, numerous fibroblasts associated with a small amount of collagen are observed; in the second, or active, stage, the cells are more mature and the collagen is more evident; in the third, or maturation, stage, the extracellular matrix is composed of dense bundles of collagen fibers with few fibroblasts. Ultrastructural analysis revealed filamentous aggregation of an unknown nature among the collagen fiber bundles. The authors discuss some clinical, physiological, and pathologic aspects of a disorder which is similar to Dupuytren's disease but does not involve retraction of the surrounding anatomical structures.