Pseudomalignancies

The plastic surgeon encounters a variety of lesions that are benign histologically, but malignant in terms of their manifestations and clinical course. Many of these desperate pathologic situations present exceedingly difficult problems in terms of their diagnosis and management. Clinical entities that tend to be grouped within this type of pathologic phenomenon include giant pigmented nevi, arteriovenolymphatic malformations, neurofibromatosis, and localized overgrowth. The authors examine such lesions on the basis of their presentations, pathogeneses, and pathophysiology.