Elastofibroma Dorsi: Case Series of a Rare Chest Wall Pseudotumor

Elastofibroma dorsi (EFD) is a pseudotumor of the thoracic wall that can be difficult to diagnose due to its rarity. Prompt recognition can limit unnecessary workup and expedite treatment. This study retrospectively analyzed patients with a diagnosis of EFD, discussing clinical presentations and surgical outcomes.

This is an IRB-approved single-center retrospective study of all patients with a diagnosis of elastofibroma at our institution between 2000 and 2022.

Ten patients were identified to have a pathologic diagnosis of EFD since 2000, with half presenting in the last 5 years. Our cohort had an average age of 56.8 years and was 50% female. The average age of male subjects was younger than females, 49.6-64.0 years, respectively (p = 0.10). Eighty percent (8/10) of patients had unilateral EFDs and symptoms lasted 27.1 months on average prior to diagnosis. Surgical resection was performed on 66.67% (8/12) of masses, with 87.5% (7/8) of patients who underwent surgery reporting complete resolution of their symptoms and none reporting recurrence.

Although EFD is a rare pseudotumor, its incidence may be increasing. As such, surgeons should be aware of the typical clinical presentation; specifically, a slow growing, predominantly unilateral, painful, subscapular mass with an inhomogeneous pattern on imaging. Originally thought to predominantly affect elderly women, our study shows that younger men may be at risk as well. If patients present with EFD, complete surgical resection should be performed to achieve favorable outcomes and resolution of symptoms.