Infantile digital fibromatosis
Helena O B Taylor1, Steven E Gellis, Birgitta A R Schmidt
1Department of Plastic Surgery, Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
Annals of Plastic Surgery
|September 25, 2008
Summary
Infantile digital fibromas, rare benign tumors in children, can appear after surgery. This case involved extensive post-surgical fibromas on all four extremities.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology
- Dermatopathology
Background:
- Infantile digital fibromas are rare, benign neoplasms primarily affecting children's digits.
- Diagnosis often requires biopsy due to resemblance to other skin lesions.
- These tumors are characterized by myofibroblasts with unique intracellular inclusions.
Observation:
- A 2-year-old patient developed extensive infantile digital fibromas across all four extremities.
- The fibromas appeared postsurgically following syndactyly release.
- The extent and post-surgical onset were highly unusual compared to typical presentations.
Findings:
- The case highlights a rare postsurgical manifestation of infantile digital fibromas.
- The extensive nature of the lesions in this patient is noteworthy.
- Myofibroblastic origin with pathognomonic inclusions confirmed the diagnosis.
Implications:
- This case expands the understanding of infantile digital fibroma presentation and potential triggers.
- It underscores the importance of considering digital fibromas in postsurgical pediatric cases.
- Further research may explore the link between surgical procedures and fibroma development.
Related Concept Videos
Introduction to Fibroblasts
Rudolph Virchow discovered spindle-shaped cells called fibroblasts in 1858. Inactive fibroblasts, called fibrocytes, become activated by various stimuli, such as growth factors and inflammatory cytokines. Activated fibroblasts play a crucial role in wound healing, inflammation, formation of new blood vessels, and cancer progression. Uncontrolled activation of fibroblasts results in fibrosis, the excess deposition of fibrous tissue, which can lead to scarring and affect normal organs. This...
The Retinoblastoma Gene
Tumor suppressor genes are normal genes that can slow down cell division, repair DNA mistakes, or program the cells for apoptosis in case of irreparable damage. Hence, they play an essential role in preventing the proliferation of damaged cells.
The first-ever tumor suppressor gene called Rb was identified in retinoblastoma - a rare eye tumor in children. In inherited forms of the disease, a child inherits one defective copy of the Rb gene, which predisposes them to retinoblastoma. However,...
The first-ever tumor suppressor gene called Rb was identified in retinoblastoma - a rare eye tumor in children. In inherited forms of the disease, a child inherits one defective copy of the Rb gene, which predisposes them to retinoblastoma. However,...
The Retinoblastoma Gene
Tumor suppressor genes are normal genes that can slow down cell division, repair DNA mistakes, or program the cells for apoptosis in case of irreparable damage. Hence, they play an essential role in preventing the proliferation of damaged cells.
The first-ever tumor suppressor gene called Rb was identified in retinoblastoma - a rare eye tumor in children. In inherited forms of the disease, a child inherits one defective copy of the Rb gene, which predisposes them to retinoblastoma. However,...
The first-ever tumor suppressor gene called Rb was identified in retinoblastoma - a rare eye tumor in children. In inherited forms of the disease, a child inherits one defective copy of the Rb gene, which predisposes them to retinoblastoma. However,...
Fibril-associated Collagen
Fibril-associated collagens are a type of collagens present in the extracellular matrix with interrupted triple helices or FACIT (Fibril-associated collagens interrupted triple-helices). FACIT help connect and attach the collagen fibrils with each other as well as with other proteins of the extracellular matrix.
For example, the type II collagen fibrils in cartilage have covalently bound type IX fibril-associated collagens at regular intervals. Other types of fibril-associated collagens are...
For example, the type II collagen fibrils in cartilage have covalently bound type IX fibril-associated collagens at regular intervals. Other types of fibril-associated collagens are...


