Chronic expanding hematoma of the left flank mimicking a soft-tissue neoplasm

Chronic expanding hematoma

Chronic expansive hematoma (CEH) is a rare lesion, characterized by the persistence and increase in size of an hematoma for a period greater than one month since the initial hemorrhage. The clinical importance of this pathology is due to the fact that it can simulate malignant soft tissue neoplasms, both clinically as a result of its progressive growth and radiologically for its findings in imaging studies. This article will review three cases of CEH in different scenarios, explaining the radiological findings in different imaging techniques such as ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and PET-CT.

Minimal intervention for neurofibromatosis type I manifestations: A case report

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE

Neurofibromatosis type I (NF1, OMIM: 162200) is a benign, autosomal dominant, tumorigenic predisposing syndrome with variable manifestations. Both neurofibromatosis and soft tissue sarcomas are associated with the formation of hematomas. Moreover, skeletal manifestations of NF1 include focal or generalized forms and expansive or infiltrative growth types.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 19-year-old NF1 female patient presented with an expanding post-traumatic facial hematoma that resembled a soft-tissue tumor at initial presentation. A congenital neck mass was noted ipsilateral to her craniofacial skeletal deformities. Multiple imaging modalities were used to aid diagnosis, and urgent surgical intervention of the expanding facial lesion was performed. Her neck lesion and skeletal deformities were monitored, and her recovery was uneventful at 1-year follow-up, with no progression.

CLINICAL DISCUSSION

A palpable, non-pulsatile soft tissue mass is a common clinical presentation with a diverse differential diagnosis. Despite the low incidence of post-traumatic vascular injuries and lesions in the maxillofacial region, neurofibromatosis-associated vasculopathy remains an underestimated and serious manifestation of NF1. The reported zygomatic arch deformity is believed to be unique. However, the NF1 tumor-associated skeletal malformations are not linearly related.

CONCLUSION

NF1 is a multisystem disorder necessitating an early multidisciplinary team approach. Minimal intervention can help convert an emergent operation into an urgent one and preclude the need for major surgery. The case illustrated a rare example of simultaneous affection of soft tissue and jaw bones in NF1 patients.

Telangiectatic soft tissue sarcoma and chronic expanding haematoma: a comparative review of MRI features

Soft tissue sarcomas containing a dominant component of haemorrhage are known to be aggressive tumours associated with a poor prognosis. Importantly, the clinical behaviour and imaging characteristics of extensively haemorrhagic soft tissue sarcomas (also termed telangiectatic soft tissue sarcomas) can resemble those of benign haematomas, particularly those that continue to expand over a prolonged period, so-called chronic expanding haematomas (CEH). The following review evaluates the current literature to identify the clinical, imaging and pathological characteristics of telangiectatic soft tissue sarcomas and to determine features that may help distinguish them from CEH. Ultimately, we suggest that lesions with sizeable regions of internal haemorrhage should be regarded with a high degree of suspicion for underlying malignancy and require referral to a tertiary sarcoma centre, where a carefully planned approach to biopsy and follow-up is needed to avoid errors in diagnosis.

Chronic expanding hematoma mimicking seroma, following a totally extraperitoneal approach for inguinal hernia: a case report

Chronic expanding hematoma (CEH) mimicking seroma following inguinal hernia surgery has not been reported previously. A 78-year-old man underwent laparoscopic repair of a left direct hernia via a totally extraperitoneal approach. He was discharged 2 days after surgery without any complications. Two weeks later, he complained of left inguinal bulging without pain. We considered seroma and decided to observe the patient for 1 month. However, the cyst did not change in size. Additional cyst aspiration and drainage attempts were unsuccessful. Three months after the initial surgery, we performed a second surgery (resection of the cyst) because conservative therapies were ineffective. The resected cyst was pathologically diagnosed as a CEH. The postoperative course was uneventful, and no recurrence was observed. Complete excision of a CEH is mandatory because aspiration and drainage cannot prevent recurrence.

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy treatment of painful hematoma in the calf: A case report

BACKGROUND

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) can be applied to various musculoskeletal conditions including calcific tendinitis. Muscle injuries can lead to hematomas, and unabsorbed hematomas sometimes cause pain. We report a case of painful hematoma successfully treated with ESWT. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of painful intramuscular hematoma treated with ESWT.

CASE SUMMARY

A 65-year-old man visited the outpatient department for left calf pain with swelling that had persisted since he slipped two weeks prior. The calf pain had persisted and was rated visual analog scale 7. On physical examination, there was a localized, stiff, ovoid mass on his left upper posterior calf. The pain was aggravated by dorsiflexion of the left ankle or weight-bearing on the left foot. Initial diagnostic ultrasonography showed a hematoma in the left gastrocnemius muscle; its texture was firm with low heterogeneity. We applied ESWT to the hematoma. His pain decreased immediately to a visual analog scale 3, and the mass was softened. The texture of the hematoma became more heterogeneous on ultrasonography. Due to planned overseas travel, he returned three months after the initial visit to report that the pain and swelling were dramatically relieved after ESWT.

CONCLUSION

We propose that painful hematomas could be a new indication for ESWT. Further investigation on the effects of ESWT for hematomas is needed.

A thoracic venous aneurysm mimicking a chronic expanding haematoma

Thoracic venous aneurysms are rare, and bleeding is possible. A 9-year-old female patient presented with a thoracic wall mass. No blood flow was observed in the mass, and a chronic expanding haematoma was suspected based on the differential diagnosis. However, the venous structure was identified in the wall of the mass on pathological examination, and the diagnosis of the venous aneurysm was thereby established. Because the venous aneurysm contains fresh blood and bleeding can be profuse when such lesions are not properly handled during a surgical procedure, making the visibility of the surgeon poor, the venous aneurysm must be included in the differential diagnosis.