Multiple ectopic leiomyomas of the abdominal rectus muscles after gasless laparoscopic uterine myomectomy

• Published in: Archives of gynecology and obstetrics 2012-03, Vol.285 (3), p.883-885
• Main Authors: Sesti, Francesco, Di Pietro, Chiara, Capece, Antonio, Piccione, Emilio
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abdomen; Abdominal Neoplasms - diagnosis; Abdominal Neoplasms - surgery; Adult; Endocrinology; Female; Gynecology; Human Genetics; Humans; Laparoscopy; Laparoscopy - methods; Leiomyoma - diagnosis; Leiomyoma - surgery; Letter to the Editor; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Myometrium - surgery; Neoplasms, Multiple Primary - diagnosis; Neoplasms, Multiple Primary - surgery; Obstetrics/Perinatology/Midwifery; Rectus Abdominis - surgery
• ISSN: 0932-0067; 1432-0711
• DOI: 10.1007/s00404-011-2125-1

Purpose To describe and analyze the first case of multiple ectopic leiomyomas of the abdominal rectus muscles in a patient who had undergone gasless laparoscopic uterine myomectomy (GLM) 10 years before. Methods A 41-year-old woman, who had undergone GLM 10 years before, having presented multiple palpable masses of the abdominal wall, underwent minilaparotomic excision of six abdominal masses. Results Six round well-circumscribed masses of the abdominal rectus muscles, measuring, respectively, 3.8 × 1.7, 2.9 × 0.9, 0.8 × 0.5, 0.7 × 0.3, 10 × 0.8 and 0.5 × 0.4 cm, were excised. The major lesion was situated close to the right trocar site of the previous GLM, the other smaller tumors were located in the umbilical area and left abdominal region. On histopathologic examination, the abdominal lumps were categorized as leiomyoma. Conclusions Ectopic leiomyomatosis is an uncommon complication after GLM, and does not justify follow-up in all asymptomatic cases. However, the gynecologists should bear this unusual condition in mind, and inform the patients that leiomyoma fragments can grow in ectopic sites.