Unusual haemostasis for an unusual tumour. Catastrophic bleeding from a tactile neurofibroma affecting the thoracic vertebrae. Case report
Vincent, J.G.; Naudin ten Cate, L.; Kaan, G.L.; van Horn, J.R.; Pruszczynski, M.
Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery 31(4): 474-478
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-9509 PMID: 2211801 Document Number: 354851
The symptomatology of a typical acute descending thoracic aorta dissection was imitated by profuse haemorrhage caused by a benign tumour composed almost exclusively of Wagner-Meissner like tactile corpuscles and fatty tissue. The tumour caused extensive destruction of the bodies of the fifth and sixth thoracic vertebrae at the level of the vertebro-costal articulation. Emergency cross clamping of the descending aorta and haemostasis of the bleeding from osteal defects by tamponade with bone polymethyl methacrylate appeared the only way to control the life threatening haemorrhage. It seems that an intrathoracic tactile neurofibroma with a similar case history has not been reported till now.