Multidisciplinary Management of a Giant Plexiform Neurofibroma by Double Sequential Preoperative Embolization and Surgical Resection

Copyright © 2013 Roberto Vélez et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Plexiform neurofibromas are benign tumors originating from subcutaneous or visceral peripheral nerves, which are usually associated with neurofibromatosis type 1. Giant neurofibromas are very difficult to manage surgically as they are extensively infiltrative and highly vascularized. These types of lesions require complex preoperative and postoperative management strategies. This case report describes a 22-year-old female with a giant plexiform neurofibroma of the lower back and buttock who underwent pre-operative embolization and intraoperative use of a linear cutting stapler system to assist with haemostasis during the surgical resection. Minimal blood transfusion was required and the patient made a good recovery. This case describes how a multidisciplinary management of these large and challenging lesions is technically feasible and appears to be beneficial in reducing perioperative blood loss and morbidity. Giant neurofibroma is a poorly defined term used to describe a neurofibroma that ha