[Elastofibroma dorsi: a 7-year follow-up of 37 cases and a review of the literature]

Abstract

Background: Elastofibroma dorsi (ED) is an infrequent benign, slow growing, soft tissue tumour that is usually located in the scapular zone.

Material and methods: A series of 37 ED patients diagnosed and treated in our hospital between August 1993 and November 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. The average follow up was 7 years. Ten of them presented bilaterally. The male/female ratio was 4:3, and the mean age was 57 years. An MRI was performed, and the diagnosis confirmed by histopathology. Seven cases were treated conservatively. The clinical results were evaluated using a visual analogue score (VAS) for pain and a comparison of the range of movement during follow up.

Results: Some 18% of the patients worked or practiced sports that called for the use of the affected limb. The 40% of the patients required a post-operative transfusion was required by 40% of the patients, due to having a haemoglobin <8 g/d. The VAS improved from 6 to 2 after the surgery. The range of movement improved on an average of 40. The complications included an infection, 1 hyperalgesic scar, 8 haematomas and 3 seromas, which were resolved in the follow up without incidence. All the patients were free of illness after a mean follow-up of 85 months.

Conclusions: Good results were achieved with a long follow-up. Based on these results and a literature review of the current state of this pathology, an algorithm for its diagnosis and treatment is suggested.