Pacinian corpuscle hyperplasia: A review of the literature

Pacinian corpuscle hyperplasia typically presents as a tender nodule on the volar aspect of the palm or digit, often after trauma. Histologically, it presents as one to multiple normal-sized to enlarged Pacinian corpuscles in the deep dermis or subcutaneous adipose tissue. Given its rarity, its pathogenesis is debated and nomenclature is poorly defined. Herein, we present a case of Pacinian corpuscle hyperplasia and review the current literature.

A literature review was conducted using PubMed with the following search terms: Pacinian corpuscle hyperplasia, Pacinian corpuscle neuroma, Pacinioma, Pacinian corpuscle hypertrophy, and heterotopic Pacinian corpuscles. All case reports and case series were reviewed for histopathologic evidence of true Pacinian corpuscle hyperplasia. Cadaveric studies, cases without true Pacinian corpuscles, and noncutaneous cases were excluded from our analysis.

Sixty patients with Pacinian corpuscle hyperplasia of the hands and feet (65 cases, some with >1 location) were reviewed. The mean age of presentation was 49.5 years, and women accounted for 60% of cases. Pain was the most commonly reported symptom (55 of 65 cases; 84.6%). Forty-five cases (69.2%) were localized to a digit, most commonly the second digit (17 of 65 cases; 26.2%), and 18 of 65 cases (27.6%) affected the palm, primarily the distal palm. Surgical excision was curative in 50 of 65 cases (76.9%).

Although relatively uncommon, Pacinian corpuscle hyperplasia should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a tender nodule on the digit or distal palm, particularly after trauma.