Debulking surgery for macrodystrophia lipomatosa of the lesser toe: a rare case report

Macrodystrophia lipomatosa (MDL) is a rare disorder characterized by overgrowth of mesenchymal cells, resulting in gigantism of one or more digit. We report a case of a woman in her late 60s who presented with abnormal enlargement of the right second toe. By debulking the pathological tissue while preserving the shape of the toe as much as possible without amputation of the entire phalanx, debulking surgery not only helps walking, but also allows wearing shoes of the same size on both feet and achieves cosmetic satisfaction for patients. The functional and cosmetic improvement obtained through debulking surgery in this case resulted in no recurrence of disease 5 years postoperatively and provided a desirable alternative to amputation. Therefore, through this case, we demonstrated that debulking surgery can be a reasonable option for MDL patients.