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PRRX1-fused mesenchymal neoplasm is a recently identified, rare subcutaneous soft tissue neoplasm that is characterized by fusion of PRRX1 (exon 1) with NCOA1 (exon 13) in the majority of reported cases. Although initially considered to be fibroblastic, a possibility of neural or neuroectodermal differentiation has been suggested in a subset of cases. We report a 26-year-old female with a 4.0 cm painless mass located in the subcutis of the left thigh. Microscopically, the tumor was well-circumscribed and multinodular and was composed of relatively monomorphic ovoid to spindle cells arranged in loose fascicles, trabeculae, and cords within alternating myxoid and fibrous matrix, and vascularized stroma. Mitotic figures were scarce and necrosis was not observed. By immunohistochemistry, the neoplastic cells demonstrated focal co-expression of S100 protein and SOX10 and were negative for epithelial membrane antigen, smooth muscle actin, desmin, CD34, STAT6, HMB45, Melan-A, and MUC4. The expression of Rb1 was retained. Targeted RNA-sequencing identified a novel transcript fusion of PRRX1 (exon 1)::NCOA1 (exon 15), which was further confirmed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Sanger sequencing. The tumor was narrowly excised and no tumor recurrence or metastasis was identified after 13 months of follow-up. In summary, we report a new case of PRRX1-fused mesenchymal neoplasm, expanding the molecular genetic spectrum and providing further support for possible neural or neuroectodermal differentiation of this emerging soft tissue tumor entity., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Managing infectious complications after kidney transplantation (KT) remains a major challenge. Infections are the leading non-cardiovascular cause of death among kidney transplant recipients (KTr). The urinary tract is particularly vulnerable to infections in this group, leading to high levels of morbidity and mortality, as well as significant economic costs., Case Presentation: This case report presents the first documented instance of extensive thigh pyomyositis resulting from cystic fistulae in an 84-year-old KTr. The patient was referred to our hospital with acute onset fever, pain in the inner thighs and pyuria. A CT scan revealed bilateral pyomyositis of the thighs, characterized by multiple abscesses in the adductor muscles and hydroaerobic levels. Additionally, cystic fistulae complicated by pubic symphysis osteitis were identified., Conclusion: In KTr, lower limb pyomyositis resulting from a urinary tract infection is an extremely rare and significantly worsens the overall prognosis for these patients., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Abstract: Atypical spindle cell/pleomorphic lipomatous tumor is categorized as a benign lipomatous tumor, but various MRI findings pose accurate diagnostic challenges. In our case, both MRI and PET/CT scans indicated the possibility of atypical lipomatous tumor/well-differentiated liposarcoma or dedifferentiated liposarcoma. Needle biopsy suggested benign to low-grade malignancy; hence, we opted for the wide resection. The final diagnosis of atypical spindle cell/pleomorphic lipomatous tumor was confirmed through histopathology analysis, including immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization. Since achieving an accurate diagnosis solely through imaging can be challenging, histopathology remains essential., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest and sources of funding: none declared., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate the characteristics and treatment modalities of malignant tumors originating from the sublingual gland, as well as evaluate the therapeutic outcomes following free flap reconstruction., Methods: A retrospective statistical analysis was conducted on the clinical data of nine patients diagnosed with malignant neoplasms tumor of the sublingual gland., Results: Nine case of malignant tumors originated from the sublingual glandular tissue, encompassing eight adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) and a single case of bipartite differentiated carcinoma-a hybrid of epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma and adenoid cystic carcinoma. Among the nine patients, four anterolateral thigh flaps were used (three of which were thin flaps), and five forearm flaps were also empoyed. The size of flaps varied, with the lengths ranging from 4 cm to 9 cm, and the widths ranging from 2.5 cm to 6 cm. The vessels chosen for anastomosis were the superior thyroid artery in seven cases, the facial artery in one case, and the lingual artery in one case. Among the eight patients who underwent dissection of cervical lymph nodes, metastasis were found in one case. Two patients underwent adjuvant radiotherapy. Upon postoperative follow-up, there was no recurrence in any of the nine patients ., Conclusion: The anterolateral thigh perforator flap thinning technique can be employed for postoperative reconstruction of malignant sublingual gland tumors., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interests The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

The assessment of skin changes in the context of possible child abuse is an important task in forensic medicine. This requires knowledge of pigmentation variants and pigmentation disorders such as congenital dermal melanocytosis, which includes Mongolian spots. Particularly in the case of atypical localization and dark pigmented skin, the differentiation from hematomas can be challenging. A case of two Nigerian siblings with extensive and atypically localized Mongolian spots is reported. The 1.5-year-old girl showed Mongolian spots on her back and the right side of her trunk. The 8-year-old boy showed Mongolian spots only on the back of his thighs. The authors are not aware of any case in which so called Mongolian spots were present exclusively on the back of the thighs and this case is all the more noteworthy as the back of the thigh is a common localization of blunt force trauma., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Limb-sparing resections of thigh soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) can result in adverse outcomes. Identifying preoperative predictors for wound healing complications, tumor recurrence, and mortality is crucial for informed reconstructive decision-making. We hypothesized that preoperative measurements of thigh and tumor dimensions could serve as reliable indicators for postoperative complications, recurrence, and death., Patients and Methods: In this retrospective cohort study conducted from March 2016 to December 2021, we analyzed patients undergoing thigh STS excisions followed by reconstruction. Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography scans provided necessary thigh and tumor dimensions. Univariate and multivariate regression assessed relationships between these dimensions and postoperative outcomes, including complications, recurrence, and death., Results: Upon the analysis of 123 thighs, we found thigh width to be highly predictive of postoperative complications, even surpassing body mass index (BMI) and retaining significance in multivariate regression [odds ratio (OR) 1.19; 95% CI 1.03-1.39; p = 0.03]. Sarcoma-to-thigh width and thickness ratios predicted STS recurrence, with the thickness ratio retaining significance in multivariate regression (OR 1.03; 95% CI 1.001-1.05; p = 0.041). Notably, greater thigh thickness was independently protective against mortality in multivariate analysis (OR 0.80; 95% CI 0.65-0.98; p = 0.030)., Conclusions: Thigh width outperformed BMI in association with postoperative complications. This may create an opportunity for intervention, where weight loss can play a role during the neoadjuvant therapy period to potentially reduce complications. Sarcoma-to-thigh width and thickness ratios, particularly the latter, hold substantial predictive value in terms of STS recurrence. Moreover, thigh thickness is an independent predictor of survival., (© 2024. Society of Surgical Oncology.)

Hemosiderotic/aneurysmal variant of dermatofibroma (DF) is infrequent and may be misdiagnosed with malignant lesions. We report the case of a giant (7.6cm) subcutaneous hemosiderotic/aneurysmal DF (H/ADF) of the thigh in a 53-year-old female patient. Internal arterial and venous hypervascularity was seen by spectral Doppler ultrasound. Magnetic resonance image showed a discrete homogeneous hypointense in T1-weighted images (WI) and T2-WI mass, with hyperintense areas in fat-suppressed T2-WI. The histology revealed a monotonous fusocelular proliferation without atypia, positive for CD163, factor XIIIa and CD10. Widely distributed hemosiderin pigment and two blood-filled pseudovascular spaces lacking endothelial lining were present. H/ADF was diagnosed. The mass was removed but surgical margins were affected. The patient did not present local relapse or distant metastasis. H/ADF are unusual cutaneous soft tissue tumours that can be clinically, radiologically and histopathologically confused with malignant lesions such as melanomas, vascular lesions or sarcomas, especially in giant cases., (Copyright © 2024 Sociedad Española de Anatomía Patológica. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate the associations of thigh muscle and fat volumes with structural abnormalities on MRI related to knee osteoarthritis., Materials and Methods: MRI studies of the thighs and knees from 100 individuals were randomly selected from the Osteoarthritis Initiative Cohort. Whole Organ MR Scoring (WORMS) and effusion-synovitis scoring were performed in all knee MRI. Thigh muscles, intermuscular fat, and subcutaneous fat were manually segmented in 15 consecutive MR thigh images. Radiographic Kellgren-Lawrence grades (KLG) were also obtained in all knee radiographs. Independent t-tests were used to investigate the associations between thigh muscle and fat volumes, and sex. Mixed-effects analyses were obtained to investigate the associations between thigh muscle and fat volumes, KLG, WOMAC pain score, cartilage and bone marrow WORMS, as well as effusion-synovitis scores., Results: Women had higher subcutaneous fat volume than men (616.82 vs. 229.13 cm 3 , p < 0.01) and men had higher muscle volumes than women (p < 0.01). Quadriceps (coef = -2.15, p = 0.01) and vastus medialis (coef = -1.84, p = 0.03) volumes were negatively associated with the WORMS cartilage scores. Intermuscular fat volume (coef = 0.48, p = 0.01) was positively associated with WORMS bone marrow edema-like lesion (BMEL) scores. The quadriceps (coef = -0.99, p < 0.01) and hamstring (coef = -0.59, p = 0.01) volumes were negatively associated with WORMS BMEL scores. No evidence of an association was found between thigh muscle and fat volumes with KLG and effusion-synovitis grading (p > 0.05)., Conclusion: Increased quadriceps and hamstring volumes were negatively associated with cartilage lesion and BMEL scores while no evidence of an association was found between thigh muscle and fat volumes, and radiographic knee osteoarthritis or effusion-synovitis grading., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to International Skeletal Society (ISS).)

Abstract: Superficial CD34 positive fibroblastic tumor (SCPFT) is a recently described soft tissue tumor of intermediate grade with predilection for subcutaneous and superficial fascial planes. Morphological diagnosis of these tumors can be challenging because of overlapping features with other benign and malignant soft tissue tumors of fibroblastic and myofibroblastic origin. A middle-aged man came with a subcutaneous mass in the left thigh. Microscopic examination showed features of an SCPFT comprised of a circumscribed spindle cell tumor with focal striking pleomorphism and bizarre hyperchromatic nuclei. Immunohistochemically (IHC), the tumor cells showed diffuse positivity for CD34 and focally for cytokeratin. Diagnosis of SCPFT on the basis of morphology alone can be challenging. A constellation of clinicoradiological profiles, IHC features, and sometimes molecular studies clinch the definitive diagnosis which can be helpful in avoiding overtreatment and chemotherapy. Here we highlight the diagnostic challenges and pitfalls in a case of SCPFT., (Copyright © 2023 Copyright: © 2023 Indian Journal of Pathology and Microbiology.)

Muscle mass depletion is associated with mortality and morbidity in various conditions including sepsis. However, few studies have evaluated muscle mass using point-of-care ultrasound in patients with sepsis. This study aimed to evaluate the association between thigh muscle mass, evaluated using point-of-care ultrasound with panoramic view in patients with sepsis in the emergency department, and mortality. From March 2021 to October 2022, this prospective observational study used sepsis registry. Adult patients who were diagnosed with sepsis at the emergency department and who underwent point-of-care ultrasounds for lower extremities were included. The thigh muscle mass was evaluated by the cross-sectional area of the quadriceps femoris (CSA-QF) on point-of-care ultrasound using panoramic view. The primary outcome was 28 day mortality. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard model was performed. Of 112 included patients with sepsis, mean CSA-QF was significantly lower in the non-surviving group than surviving group (49.6 [34.3-56.5] vs. 63.2 [46.9-79.6] cm 2 , p = 0.002). Each cm 2 increase of mean CSA-QF was independently associated with decreased 28 day mortality (adjusted hazard ratio 0.961, 95% CI 0.928-0.995, p = 0.026) after adjustment for potential confounders. The result of other measurements of CSA-QF were similar. The muscle mass of the quadriceps femoris evaluated using point-of-care ultrasound with panoramic view was associated with mortality in patients with sepsis. It might be a promising tool for determining risk factors for mortality in sepsis patients in the early stages of emergency department., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour (MPNST) is an aggressive soft tissue sarcoma with a poor prognosis, affecting most commonly the extremities. The lungs constitute the most frequent location for distant metastases. Half of all MPNSTs arise in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1, while approximately 10% are radiation induced and the rest are sporadic.The authors present a pregnant woman in her 40s with a sporadic MPNST of the lower limb and with lung metastases at diagnosis. Treatment consisted of interilioabdominal amputation, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. Partial response and disease stabilisation were achieved with chemotherapy.Surgical resection with negative margins is the only potentially curative therapy, while radiation therapy and chemotherapy might be useful in the neoadjuvant or adjuvant setting, but their advantage in survival is not demonstrated. In the reported case, chemotherapy permitted the achievement of partial response and stabilisation of the disease., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2024. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

The current case presentation highlights the potential of cemiplimab, a programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) inhibitor, as first-line treatment for periocular metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) without requiring curative surgery or radiotherapy. A 64-year-old male presented with a progressing 4.5 × 3.0 cm left upper eyelid lesion initially diagnosed as psoriasis. Work-up revealed cutaneous SCC with tumor invasion into extraconal fat and lacrimal gland, and metastasis to the left parotid lymph node. The patient also presented with a suspicious lesion on his left medial thigh found to be a second primary on pathology. To avoid orbital exenteration and treat the multifocal disease, the patient was started on intravenous cemiplimab immunotherapy. Following six doses, repeated FGD-PET-CT revealed a complete response of the left eyelid lesion and residual low-grade hypermetabolic activity of the left medial thigh lesion. Biopsy confirmed chronic inflammation and fibrosis with no signs of malignancy. This unique case with dual primary cutaneous SCC provides support for cemiplimab in treating locally invasive periocular SCC, and potentially abrogating the need for highly morbid exenteration procedures to preserve binocular vision.

Objectives: To evaluate the relationship of thigh MRI (t-MRI) with manual muscle testing-8 (MMT-8), muscle enzymes and autoantibodies. To determine the causal and mediating factors resulting in poor recovery of MMT-8 in inflammatory myositis (IIM)., Methods: This was a single-centre retrospective study in IIM patients. t-MRI was semi-quantitatively scored for muscle oedema, fascial oedema, muscle atrophy and fatty infiltration. Spearman correlation of t-MRI scores was done with muscle enzymes at baseline, and MMT-8 at baseline and on follow-up. Causal mediation analysis was performed with age, sex, symptom duration, autoantibodies, diabetes and BMI as independent variables, follow-up MMT-8 as dependent and t-MRI scores as mediating variables., Results: Baseline evaluation was done on 59 and follow-up on 38 patients. Median follow-up of the cohort was 31 (10-57) months. Baseline MMT-8 negatively correlated with muscle oedema (r = -0755), fascial oedema (r = -0.443) and muscle atrophy (r = -0.343). Creatinine kinase (r = 0.422) and aspartate transaminase (r = 0.480) positively correlated with muscle oedema. Follow-up MMT-8 correlated negatively with baseline atrophy (r = -0.497) and fatty infiltration (r = -0.531). On follow-up, MMT-8 males had positive total effect (estimate (95%CI)) via atrophy [2.93 (0.44, 4.89)] and fatty infiltration [2.08 (0.54, 3.71)]. Antisynthetase antibody had a positive total effect via fatty infiltration [4.50 (0.37, 7.59)]. Age had a negative total effect via atrophy [-0.09 (0.19, -0.01)] and fatty infiltration [-0.07 (-0.15, -0.01)]. Disease duration had a negative total effect via fatty infiltration [-0.18 (-0.27, -0.02)]., Conclusion: Baseline fatty infiltration and muscle atrophy resulting from older age, female sex, longer disease duration and absent anti-synthetase antibodies, partly mediate muscle recovery in IIM., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the factors affecting local recurrence and survival in patients with soft-tissue sarcomas located in the thigh., Patients and Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study evaluated 41 soft tissue sarcoma patients (21 males, 20 females; mean age: 57.9±13.7 years; range, 18 to 90 years) with thigh involvement between January 2010 and December 2020. All surgical intervention was performed by one surgeon with an experience of 15 years in orthopedic oncologic surgery. Epidemiological, radiological, histopathological, and metabolic features, as well as surgical and oncological treatments and prognoses, were assessed. The data was statistically analyzed to determine factors affecting local recurrence and survival in these cases, staged using Enneking and the American Joint Committee on Cancer classifications., Results: Liposarcomas were the most common type of tumor (39%), followed by undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcomas (32%). Tumors >10 cm were associated with decreased survival rates. High-grade tumors, tumor necrosis, Ki-67 index >20%, and positive surgical margins were also associated with lower survival rates. Metastatic patients had significantly lower survival rates. Local recurrence was significantly more frequent in patients with positive surgical margins. Survival rates were significantly lower in metastatic patients., Conclusion: There are many factors that affect local recurrence and survival of soft tissue sarcomas. The size of the mass, the presence of necrosis, a high Ki-67 index, positive surgical margins, and the presence of metastasis are the main factors that should be taken into consideration.

Eccrine acrospiroma is a rare benign tumor of the skin arising from the epithelial cells of eccrine sweat ducts. The clinical picture is characterized by its variability, so a detailed morphological study of the operative material is necessary to establish a diagnosis. Differential diagnosis must be carried out with hemangioma, melanoma, infected sebaceous cyst, metastatic skin lesion, and other tumors from elements of the sweat gland. In the article the authors presented the clinical and morphological analysis of own case from practice of large eccrine acrospiroma on the back surface of the left thigh which was diagnosed in a 56-year-old man.

Morel-Lavallée lesions (MLLs) result from high-energy trauma causing separation of subcutaneous tissue from the underlying tissue, most commonly in the gluteal region or thigh.We report the case of a woman in her 40s with a fluctuant collection of the cervico-thoracic region following trauma. Further imaging identified an MLL. An orthoplastic approach resulted in non-operative management with a spinal brace. Three months from initial injury, the lesion completely resolved. She was symptom free at final follow-up and discharged.We present the only recorded case of MLL developing in the cervico-thoracic region. Management posed difficultly as no literature currently exists. We demonstrated conservative management for cervico-thoracic MLL can be effective.We have described the first documented case of cervico-thoracic MLL. MLL is not exclusive to pelvic injuries and can develop in the cervico-thoracic region. We have shown conservative management is a viable treatment of atypical MLL., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2023. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of STS resection in the thigh on MS and the HRQoL., Methods: Fourteen adults patients with STS in the thigh who underwent wide resection and limb preservation were evaluated. The patients were submitted to the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). A hand-held dynamometer was used to measure the MS the flexors, adductors, abductors, and extensors muscles of the operated and non-operated thighs and between the dominant and non-dominant operated sides. The Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) and Short Form Health Survey-36 (SF-36) questionnaires were applied to quantify the psychometric properties of the HRQoL. The data were submitted to statistical analysis using the Wilcoxon test (MS), and Mann-Whitney and Spearman correlation (MSTS and SF-36) (α = 0.05)., Results: There was no significant difference in MS between the operated side and the non-operated side, and between the dominant and non-dominant operated side (ρ > 0.05). The MSTS presented a significant difference in the emotional acceptance for patients submitted to radiotherapy (ρ = 0.029). The SF-36 showed significant differences in the emotional aspect for patients submitted to chemotherapy (ρ = 0.027) and in the social aspect between the dominant and non-dominant operated side (ρ = 0.024)., Conclusions: The HRQoL of adult patients is hampered after the treatment of STS even when MS is maintained., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 HCFMUSP. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background: Pain and sensory disturbance in the distribution of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve in the ventrolateral portion of the thigh is called meralgia paresthetica (MP). The incidence of MP has risen along with the increasing prevalence of obesity and diabetes mellitus and was recently estimated at 32 new cases per 100 000 persons per year. In this review, we provide an overview of current standards and developments in the diagnosis and treatment of MP., Methods: This review is based on publications retrieved by a selective literature search, with special attention to meta-analyses, systematic reviews, randomized and controlled trials (RCTs), and prospective observational studies., Results: The diagnosis is mainly based on typical symptoms combined with a positive response to an infiltration procedure. In atypical cases, electrophysiological testing, neurosonography, and magnetic resonance imaging can be helpful in establishing the diagnosis. The literature search did not reveal any studies of high quality. Four prospective observational studies with small case numbers and partly inconsistent results are available. In a meta-analysis of 149 cases, pain relief was described after infiltration in 85% of cases and after surgery in 80%, with 1-38 months of follow-up. In another meta-analysis of 670 cases, there was pain relief after infiltration in 22% of cases, after surgical decompression in 63%, and after neurectomy in 85%. Hardly any data are available on more recent treatment options, such as radiofrequency therapy, spinal cord stimulation, or peripheral nerve stimulation., Conclusion: The state of the evidence is limited in both quantity and quality, corresponding to evidence level 2a for surgical and non-surgical methods. Advances in imaging and neurophysiological testing have made the diagnosis easier to establish. When intervention is needed, good success rates have been achieved with surgery (decompression, neurectomy), and variable success rates with infiltration.

Background: This study aimed to investigate changes in muscle strength and functional outcome before and after surgery for soft-tissue sarcoma of the thigh and to examine the timing of recovery., Methods: From 2014 to 2019, 15 patients who underwent multiple resections of the thigh muscle for soft-tissue sarcoma of the thigh were included in this study. The muscle strength was measured with an isokinetic dynamometer for the knee joint and with a hand-held dynamometer for the hip joint. The functional outcome assessment was based on the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) score, Toronto Extremity Salvage Score (TESS), European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D), and maximum walking speed (MWS). All measurements were conducted preoperatively and at 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months postoperatively, and the ratio of postoperative to preoperative value was used. A repeated-measures analysis of variance was performed to compare changes over time and to investigate the recovery plateau. Correlations between changes in muscle strength and functional outcomes were also examined., Results: The muscle strength of the affected limb, MSTS score, TESS, EQ-5D, and MWS were significantly decreased at 3 months postoperatively. The recovery plateau was subsequently reached at 12 months postoperatively. The changes in muscle strength of the affected limb and functional outcome showed a significant correlation., Conclusions: The estimated postoperative recovery for soft-tissue sarcoma of the thigh is 12 months after surgery., (© 2023. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Japan Society of Clinical Oncology.)

Background: Resection of soft-tissue sarcomas from the adductor compartment is associated with significant complications. Free/pedicled flaps often are used for wound closure, but their effect on healing is unclear. We compared wound complications, oncologic, and functional outcomes for patients undergoing flap reconstruction or primary closure following resection of adductor sarcomas., Methods: A total of 177 patients underwent resection of an adductor sarcoma with primary closure (PrC) or free/pedicled flap reconstruction (FR). Patient, tumor, and treatment characteristics were compared, as well as wound complications, oncologic, and functional outcomes (TESS/MSTS87/MSTS93). To examine the relative benefit of flap reconstruction, number needed to treat (NNT) was calculated., Results: In total, 143 patients underwent PrC and 34 had FR, 68% of which were pedicled. There were few differences in demographic, tumor, or treatment characteristics. No significant difference was found in the rate of wound complications. Length of stay was significantly longer in FR (18 days vs. PrC 8 days; p < 0.01). Oncologic and functional outcomes were similar over 5 years follow-up. Uncomplicated wound healing occurred more often in FR compared with PrC for tumors with ≥15 cm (NNT = 8.4) or volumes ≥ 800 ml (NNT = 8.4). Tumors ≤ 336 ml do not benefit from a flap, whereas those > 600 ml are 1.5 times more likely to heal uneventfully after flap closure., Conclusions: Although flap use prolonged hospitalization, it decreased wound healing complications for larger tumors, and in all sized tumors, it demonstrated similar functional and oncologic outcomes to primary closure. Our size-based treatment criteria can help to identify patients with large adductor sarcomas who could benefit from flap reconstruction., Level of Evidence Iii: (Retrospective cohort study)., (© 2023. Society of Surgical Oncology.)

Rationale: Liposarcoma is an uncommon malignant tumor that develops in the fatty tissue; thus, the long-term follow-up results of extremely large liposarcomas in the submuscular layer of the thigh have rarely been reported. Here we share the course and outcome of 2 cases of a huge deep-seated liposarcoma in the thigh., Patient Concerns: Two patients visited our clinic, each with a deep-seated mass in the thigh. First, a 44-year-old man presented to the outpatient clinic with a left thigh mass. Approximately 1 year later, an 80-year-old man presented to the outpatient clinic with a right posterior thigh mass., Diagnosis: Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an approximately 14 × 8 × 21 cm well-differentiated liposarcoma between the sartorius and iliopsoas muscle and an approximately 14 × 12 × 31.5 cm lipomatous mass in the posterior compartment of the right thigh involving the right adductor muscles. After complete marginal resection, an excisional biopsy was performed to confirm the diagnosis., Interventions: Both patients underwent complete marginal resection without chemotherapy or radiotherapy., Outcomes: A biopsy showed a 20 × 17 × 7 cm well-differentiated, well-encapsulated liposarcoma in the 44-year-old man and a 30 × 17 × 10 cm well-differentiated liposarcoma in the 80-year-old man. These patients have achieved approximately 61 and 44 months of recurrence-free survival to date, respectively., Lessons: Here we described the long-term outcomes of 2 patients with a huge deep-seated liposarcoma in the lower extremity. Complete marginal excision of well-differentiated liposarcoma can achieve excellent recurrence-free survival., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Meralgia paresthetica is often idiopathic, but sometimes symptoms may be caused by traumatic injury to the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (LFCN) or compression of this nerve by a mass lesion. In this article the literature is reviewed on unusual causes for meralgia paresthetica, including different types of traumatic injury and compression of the LFCN by mass lesions. In addition, the experience from our center with the surgical treatment of unusual causes of meralgia paresthetica is presented. A PubMed search was performed on unusual causes for meralgia paresthetica. Specific attention was paid to factors that may have predisposed to LFCN injury and clues that may have pointed at a mass lesion. Moreover, our own database on all surgically treated cases of meralgia paresthetica between April 2014 and September 2022 was reviewed to identify unusual causes for meralgia paresthetica. A total of 66 articles was identified that reported results on unusual causes for meralgia paresthetica: 37 on traumatic injuries of the LFCN and 29 on compression of the LFCN by mass lesions. Most frequent cause of traumatic injury in the literature was iatrogenic, including different procedures around the anterior superior iliac spine, intra-abdominal procedures and positioning for surgery. In our own surgical database of 187 cases, there were 14 cases of traumatic LFCN injury and 4 cases in which symptoms were related to a mass lesion. It is important to consider traumatic causes or compression by a mass lesion in patients that present with meralgia paresthetica., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Objective: To describe the disease progression of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in the pelvic and thigh muscles over 1-year using multiple-parameter quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (qMRI), and to determine the most responsive muscle and predict subclinical disease progression in functionally stable patients., Methods: Fifty-four DMD patients (mean age 8.9 ± 2.5, range 5-15 years) completed baseline and 1-year follow-up qMRI examinations/biomarkers [3-point Dixon/fat fraction (FF); T1 mapping/T1; T2 mapping/T2]. Meanwhile, clinical assessments [NorthStar ambulatory assessment (NSAA) score] and timed function tests were performed in DMD patients. Twenty-four healthy male controls (range 5-15 years) accomplished baseline qMRI examinations. Group differences were compared using the Wilcoxon test. The standardized response mean (SRM) was taken as the responsiveness to the disease progression index., Results: FF, T1, and T2 in all DMD age subgroups changed significantly over 1-year (P < 0.05). Even in functionally stable patients (NSAA score increased, unchanged, or decreased by 1-point) over 1-year, significant increases in FF and T2 and decreases in T1 were observed in gluteus maximus (GMa), gluteus medius, vastus lateralis, and adductor magnus (P < 0.05). Overall, the SRM of FF, T1, and T2 was all the highest in GMa, which were 1.25, - 0.92, and 0.93, respectively., Conclusions: qMRI biomarkers are responsive to disease progression and can also detect subclinical disease progression in functionally stable DMD patients over 1-year. GMa is the most responsive to disease progression of all the muscles analyzed., Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ( http://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx ) ChiCTR1800018340, 09/12/2018, prospectively registered., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany.)

Objectives: To evaluate MRI changes to define muscle-lesion specific patterns in patients with antisynthetase syndrome (ASS), and compare them with those in other common idiopathic inflammatory myopathy subtypes., Methods: Qualitative and semi-quantitative thigh MRI evaluations were conducted in patients with ASS, DM and immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM)., Results: This study included 51 patients with ASS, 56 with DM and 61 with IMNM. Thigh MRI revealed muscle oedema (62.7%), myofascial oedema (90.2%), subcutaneous-tissue oedema (60.8%) and fatty infiltration of muscles (68.6%) in patients with ASS. Compared with IMNM, ASS and DM were associated with more frequent adductor-muscle relative sparing (40.6% vs 3.6%, P<0.001, and 25.6% vs 3.6%, P<0.001) and subcutaneous-tissue oedema (60.8% vs 23.0%, P<0.001, and 57.1% vs 23.0%, P<0.001). Although ASS and DM exhibited similar oedema patterns, there were certain subtle differences between them. The ASS group was less frequently symmetric (60.6% vs 88.4%, P=0.005, and 60.6% vs 80.0%, P=0.048), but more frequently showed myofascial oedema of the tensor fasciae latae (80.4% vs 48.2%, P<0.001, and 80.4% vs 31.1%, P<0.001) than either the DM or IMNM groups. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed an optimal combination of thigh MRI findings had an area under the curve with 0.893 for diagnosing ASS., Conclusion: Thigh MRI in ASS exhibited frequent myofascial oedema. ASS oedema patterns resembled those of DM more than those of IMNM. Bilateral asymmetry, adductor-muscle relative sparing and remarkable myofascial oedema of tensor fasciae latae were the most characteristic ASS imaging findings., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

A woman in her mid-50s was referred to a plastic surgeon with an 8-year history of undiagnosed, localised severe, reproducible pain of the right thigh. Treatment with oral and topical analgesics, corticosteroids, acupuncture and physiotherapy did not provide symptom relief. She was referred to multiple specialists over the preceding 8 years including chronic pain physicians, physiatry, orthopaedic surgery and plastic surgery. Investigations including sonographic and MRI eventually revealed a non-specific soft tissue abnormality in the area of tenderness, which was excised en bloc. Histopathology revealed an extradigital glomus tumour. The patient's symptoms immediately and permanently resolved postexcision.Physicians seeing patients suffering from undiagnosed focal, reproducible pain should consider extradigital glomus tumours in their differential diagnosis. Workup for extradigital glomus tumour includes focused sonographic or MRI over the area of pain. Additionally, local injection of an anaesthetic agent can be used to assist with diagnosis., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2022. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Objectives: To summarize the skeletal muscle magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of the lower limbs in common subtypes of muscular dystrophy (MD) and the experience in the application of MRI in the diagnosis of MD., Methods: A total of 48 children with MD who were diagnosed by genetic testing were enrolled as subjects. The muscle MRI features of the lower limbs were analyzed. Cumulative fatty infiltration score was calculated for each subtype, and the correlation of cumulative fatty infiltration score with clinical indices was analyzed for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD)., Results: DMD was characterized by the involvement of the gluteus maximus and the adductor magnus. Becker muscular dystrophy was characterized by the involvement of the vastus lateralis muscle. Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy was characterized by the involvement of the adductor magnus, the vastus intermedius, the vastus medialis, and the vastus lateralis muscle. For DMD, the cumulative fatty infiltration score of the lower limb muscles was significantly correlated with age, course of the disease, muscle strength, and motor function ( P <0.05), while it was not significantly correlated with the serum creatine kinase level ( P >0.05)., Conclusions: Different subtypes of MD have different MRI manifestations, and MRI may help with the diagnosis and assessment of MD.

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) causes lower extremity dysfunction and is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. In this study, we analyzed how non-invasive 2-dimensional-phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (2D-PC-MRI) measured velocity markers of the distal superficial femoral artery (SFA) are associated with clinical and functional characteristics of PAD. A total of 70 (27 diabetic and 43 non-diabetic) PAD patients were included in this secondary analysis of data collected from the Effect of Lipid Modification on Peripheral Artery Disease after Endovascular Intervention Trial (ELIMIT). Electrocardiographically (ECG)-gated 2D-PC-MRI was performed at a proximal and a distal imaging location of the distal SFA. Baseline characteristics did not differ between diabetic and non-diabetic PAD patients. Claudication onset time (COT) was shorter in diabetic PAD patients compared to non-diabetics (0.56 (inter quartile range (IQR): 0.3, 2.04) minutes vs. 1.30 (IQR: 1.13, 2.15) minutes, p = 0.025). In a pooled analysis of all 70 PAD patients, maximum velocity was significantly higher in the proximal compared with the distal SFA segment (43.97 (interquartile range (IQR): 20.4, 65.2) cm/s; vs. 34.9 (IQR: 16.87, 51.71) cm/s; p < 0.001). The maximum velocities in both the proximal and distal SFA segments were significantly higher in diabetic PAD patients compared with non-diabetics (proximal: 53.6 (IQR: 38.73, 89.43) cm/s vs. 41.49 (IQR: 60.75, 15.9) cm/s, p = 0.033; distal: 40.8 (IQR: 23.7, 71.90) cm/s vs. 27.4 (IQR: 41.67, 12.54) cm/s, p = 0.012). Intra-observer variability, as assessed by intraclass correlation (ICC) analysis, was excellent for SFA mean and maximum velocities (0.996 (confidence interval [CI]: 0.996, 0.997); 0.999 (CI: 0.999, 0.999)). In conclusion, 2D-PC-MRI SFA velocity measures are reproducible and may be of interest in assessing diabetic and non-diabetic PAD patients., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest Gerd Brunner reports financial support was provided by National Institutes of Health. Gerd Brunner reports financial support was provided by American Heart Association., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this secondary analysis of ELIMIT (The Effect of Lipid Modification on Peripheral Artery Disease after Endovascular Intervention Trial) was to determine longitudinal changes over 24 months in skeletal thigh muscle volumes and individual muscle compartments in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) with and without diabetes. A total of 48 patients with available magnetic resonance imaging of the distal superficial femoral artery at baseline and 2 years were included in this analysis. Muscle volumes and superficial femoral artery wall, lumen, and total vessel volumes were quantified. Intrareader reproducibility of muscle tracings was assessed with the intraclass correlation coefficient using a 2-way model. Baseline characteristics were similar between patients with PAD with and without diabetes, except for smoking history (p = 0.049), cholesterol levels (p <0.050), and calf walking pain (p = 0.049). Interobserver reproducibility of the muscle volume tracings was excellent for all muscle groups (all intraclass correlation coefficients >0.86, confidence interval 0.69 to 0.94). Total muscle and total leg volumes increased significantly between baseline and 24 months among patients with PAD without diabetes (31 ± 6.4 cm 3 vs 32 ± 7.0 cm 3 , p <0.001; 18 ± 4.4 cm 3 vs 19 ± 4.8 cm 3 , p = 0.045), whereas there was no change in patients with PAD and diabetes. Total muscle volume was inversely associated with age and body mass index in patients with PAD both with and without diabetes (p <0.05). In conclusion, magnetic resonance imaging-quantified thigh muscle volumes are highly reproducible and may be of interest in assessing PAD patients with and without diabetes., Competing Interests: Disclosures Dr. Virani declares grant support from the Department of Veterans Affairs, NIH, the Tahir and Jooma Family, and an honorarium from the American College of Cardiology (Associate Editor for Innovations, acc.org). The remaining authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

We aimed to derive comprehensive MRI parameters that reflect intramuscular fat infiltration severity for designated lower extremity levels, based on semiquantitative analyses in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A (CMT1A) patients. We reviewed lower extremity MRIs of 116 CMT1A patients. Intramuscular fat infiltration grading using the Mercuri scale was performed for the non-dominant lower extremity at three levels (proximal, mid, and distal) for the thigh and at two levels (proximal and distal) for the lower leg. Based on MRI results, the following parameters were calculated for each level and for entire muscles: fat infiltration proportion (FIP), significant fat infiltration proportion (SigFIP), and severe fat infiltration proportion (SevFIP). The relationships between the MRI parameters and clinical data were evaluated using Spearman's correlation analysis. FIP, SigFIP, and SevFIP measured for entire muscles significantly correlated with Charcot-Marie-Tooth Neuropathy Score (p < 0.001), functional disability scale (p < 0.001), 10-m walk test time (p = 0.0003, 0.0010, and 0.0011), and disease duration (p < 0.001). Similar correlations were demonstrated for FIP, SigFIP, and SevFIP acquired from the lower leg. Our MRI parameters obtained through semiquantitative analyses of muscles significantly correlated with clinical parameters in CMT1A patients, suggesting their potential applicability as imaging markers for clinical severity., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Objective: To summarize the clinical, thigh magnetic resonance (tMRI) and electromyographic (EMG) characteristics in patients with immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM). Methods: A total of 32 IMNM patients who were admitted to the Department of Neurology from April 2019 to April 2021 were enrolled at the First Medical Centre of Chinese PLA General Hospital. According to the type of antibody, the patients were divided into anti-SRP antibody positive (SRP + ) group, anti-HMGCR antibody positive (HMGCR + ) group and seronegative (SN) group. The gender, age, course of disease, myositis antibodies, extramuscular manifestations, EMG were collected and analyzed among three groups. The characteristics of skeletal muscle were assessed by tMRI inflammatory edema and fat infiltration scores. Analysis of variance, Kruskal-Wallis test and Chi-square test were used to compare the differences in different clinical characteristics and tMRI scores among the three groups. When there was a statistical difference among the three groups, the comparison between the two groups was corrected by the Bonferroni method. Result: (1) Of the 32 patients, 20 were females (62.5%).The median age of onset was 47±14 years, 25 (78.1%) patients had an acute or subacute course.There were 17 (53.1%) with SRP + , 8 (25.0%) with HMGCR + , and 7 (21.9%) with MSAs (myositis specific antibodies) negative. Anti-Ro52 antibody was the most common combined antibody (12/32, 37.5%), among which 10 were in SRP + group.(2) The CK of all patients were elevated, median was 5 948 (4 229, 7 664) U/L. There was no statistical difference of MMT scores among three groups. The proximal limb score was lower than distal limb ( P <0.01). The axial muscle score was lower than the distal limb score ( P <0.05).(3) Extramuscular manifestations of HMGCR + group were lower than those of the other two groups (12.5% vs. 71.4% and 76.5%, P <0.017). Rash (60.0% vs.14.3%, P <0.05) and interstitial pulmonary diseases (70.0% vs. 14.3%, P <0.05) were more common in patients with anti-SRP coexistence with anti-Ro52 than those with isolated anti-SRP. Connective tissue disease was more common in SN group (57.1% vs. 11.8% and 0, P <0.017).(4) tMRI showed fascial edema of SN group was more obvious than that of the other two groups ( P <0.017). There was no statistical difference in the degree of fat infiltration and inflammatory edema among three groups, but SRP + group had more cases of early fat infiltration.(5) Myotonic potentials (25.0% vs. 0 and 0, P <0.017) and compound repetitive discharges (CRDs) (50.0% vs. 5.9% and 0, P <0.017) were common in HMGCR + group. Proteomic analysis found significantly different expressed proteins in skeletal muscle of patients with myotonic potentials or CRDs were associated with cytoskeleton, cell junction and extracellular matrix. Conclusion: IMNM with pure anti-SRP antibody positive and anti-HMGCR positive were mainly affected by skeletal muscles. Those who were co-positive for anti-SRP antibody and anti-Ro52 antibody had more extramuscular manifestations, which might be a special subtype of SRP + group. This study proposed for the first time that myofascial inflammatory edema is an early sign of SN-IMNM injury. EMG of HMGCR + group were more prone to myotonia potential and CRDs.

Background: Myosteatosis, skeletal muscle fat infiltration, is associated with inflammation and fibrosis. The age-related increase of myosteatosis is an important characteristic of sarcopenia and contributes to fragility., Aims: To investigate the impact of healthy aging on intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) and muscle fat fraction (FF) in the thigh and the paraspinal muscles in males., Methods: In 54 healthy males (age 20-70), all active hobby golfers, magnetic resonance imaging was performed to determine volume of IMAT, volume of muscle tissue (MT) and of percentage of FF., Results: Between ages 20-70, at the thigh, IMAT/MT volume and MT FF increased annually by 2.9% and 1.3%, respectively. At the psoas IMAT/Psoas volume did not change with age. MT FF increased by 1.5% annually. At the erector spinae IMAT/Erector volume decreased by 0.3% and MT FF increased by 2.8% annually., Discussion: With increasing age, in males, thigh muscle atrophied, muscle tissue was partly replaced by adipose tissue and remaining muscle tissue also contained more fat. Similar effects were observed in the erector spinae. The psoas muscle did not atrophy, although MT FF also increased with age. Overall correlations with age were weak to moderate with higher correlations observed in the paraspinal muscles., Conclusions: Age-related increases of muscle fat infiltration were observed in the thigh and in the spine. Muscle atrophy did not occur in the psoas. In cross-sectional studies, an adjustment of volumetric parameters by muscle volume is advisable when comparing age-dependent results., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

A 6-year-old girl presented with an enlarging asymptomatic nodule within a hyperpigmented hypertrichotic patch on her left thigh. Histopathological examination revealed tumour cells with round to fusiform nuclei in a fine fibrillary collagenous stroma, along with increased cellularity. Most of the tumour cells were positive for S-100 and negative for HMB-45 and Melan-A., (© 2022 British Association of Dermatologists.)

Objectives: Because of its peculiar anatomical location, most patients with hypopharyngeal and cervical esophageal cancer are at advanced stage when they visit the hospital. At present, the treatment for hypopharyngeal and cervical esophageal cancer is primarily surgical resection and radiotherapy. However, due to the wide range of surgical resection, it can often lead to a large range of annular defects. Therefore, the upper digestive tract reconstruction after tumor resection is very important. We use the free anterolateral thigh flap (ALT) and free jejunum (FJ) transfer to reconstruct the hypopharyngeal and cervical esophagus, and to investigate the effect of both reconstruction methods on upper gastrointestinal tract defects., Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted to investigate the clinical data of 42 patients with hypopharyngeal and cervical esophageal cancer (Clinical Stage IV) from Jan. 2004 to Jan. 2016 in the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University. All patients underwent total laryngopharyngectomy and cervical esophageal resection. The hypopharyngeal circumferential and cervical esophageal defects were reconstructed with free ALT ( n =22) or FJ ( n =20). Four patients who underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy before surgery did not receive radiotherapy or chemotherapy after surgery. The remaining 38 patients underwent postoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy. All patients were followed up by telephone or outpatient review, with a follow-up deadline in Jan. 2021. We compared the differences between the 2 groups in postoperative complications, radiotherapy complications, and survival rate. The differences in individual characteristics between 2 groups were analyzed using Fisher test. The differences in postoperative and radiotherapy complications between two groups were analyzed using χ² test. The 3- and 5-year overall survival rates were calculated using Kaplan-Meier survival curve method., Results: In the ALT group, the postoperative complications mainly included anastomotic fistula, chylous fistula and subcutaneous hematoma of the donor site. The radiotherapy complication was anastomotic stenosis. However, in the FJ group, the postoperative complications mainly included chylous fistula, intestinal obstruction, and intestinal fistula. The radiotherapy complications mainly contained anastomotic fistula and tissue flap necrosis. The cases of postoperative complications in the ALT group and the FJ group were 7 and 5, respectively ( P =0.625), and the cases of radiotherapy complications were 3 and 4, respectively ( P =0.563). The 3-year overall survival rates in the ALT group and the FJ group were 52.9% and 46.7%, respectively, and the 5-year total survival rates were 35.1% and 31.9%, respectively ( P =0.53). The cases of anastomotic stenosis after radiotherapy in the ALT group were more than those in the FJ group ( P =0.097). However, the cases of jejunal necrosis and anastomotic fistula after radiotherapy in the FJ group were more than those in the ALT group ( P =0.066)., Conclusions: There are no significant differences in postoperative and radiotherapy complications and 3-and 5-year survival rates between the ALT group and the FJ group. The reconstruction with ALT is prone to develop anastomotic stricture. The reconstruction with FJ cannot withstand high-dose radiotherapy. The ALT and FJ are effective methods in the reconstruction of hypopharynx and cervical esophagus. The treatment protocol should be carefully chosen based on its advantages and disadvantages of these 2 methods.

Primary cutaneous cribriform carcinoma (PCCC) is an extremely rare carcinoma of the sweat glands. In this case report, we present a 41-year-old man with PCCC in the heel. The patient had heel pain for 10 months, and his complaints had increased in the past 2 months. Physical examination revealed a firm nonmobile mass at his heel. The PCCC in the heel was excised by wide resection after biopsy, and the defect that occurred after resection was reconstructed with a vascularized free anterolateral thigh flap. There were no complications during or after the surgery. No recurrence or metastasis was encountered during 48 months of follow-up. The patient continues his daily life activities without any problems or pain. In the heel, PCCC can be effectively treated by extensive resection and reconstruction of the defect with a skin graft/vascularized flap. Cribriform carcinomas of visceral organs and primary cutaneous adenoid cystic carcinoma should be included in the differential diagnosis, which should be made carefully, histopathologically, and immunohistochemically.

Case: A 73-year-old man with a medical history significant for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) presented with widespread osseous metastases and imaging suspicious for RCC metastasizing to a lipoma interdigitated within the right vastus lateralis. The patient's pathological fractures were surgically addressed, and the lipoma excised. Final histology revealed a thigh lipoma involved by metastatic RCC without direct extension., Conclusion: Tumor-to-tumor metastasis is a rare occurrence, with RCC typically being the most common "recipient" tumor. This is the first case to the best of our knowledge of RCC metastasizing to a lipoma, highlighting a rare phenomena in a patient with metastatic disease., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest forms are provided with the online version of the article (http://links.lww.com/JBJSCC/B859)., (Copyright © 2022 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Incorporated.)

Background/aim: The thigh is divided into the anterior, medial, and posterior compartments, and malignant soft tissue tumours can occur in any compartment of the thigh. This study analysed the relationship between various factors, particularly tumour location and clinical outcome, in patients with primary soft tissue sarcoma of the thigh., Patients and Methods: Seventy-four patients were included in this retrospective study. The relationships between variables and prognosis were statistically analysed., Results: Multivariate analysis of the patient clinical data demonstrated that seromas developed more often in the medial compartment tumours and postoperative complications excluding seroma occurred more frequently in patients with two or more muscles resected or stage III tumours. A low Musculoskeletal Tumor Society score was associated with a long operative time (more than 120 min), anterior compartment tumours, and more than two muscle resections. In addition, soft tissue sarcomas in the medial compartment and stage III sarcomas were associated with a low 5-year metastasis-free survival., Conclusion: Soft tissue sarcomas in the medial compartment were associated with postoperative seroma and metastasis, whereas sarcomas in the anterior compartment correlated with low postoperative function., (Copyright © 2022 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)

Follicular dendritic cells are antigen-presenting immune accessory cells of mesenchymal origin. Follicular dendritic cell sarcomas (FDCS) typically occur in nodal and extranodal sites. However, presentation in the extremity has rarely been reported. A woman in her 60s had a painless, slow-growing right posterior thigh swelling, which had been present for 9 months. Imaging revealed a subcutaneous lesion in the posterior aspect of the right mid-thigh. Fine-needle aspiration cytology from the lesion was suggestive of a malignant spindle cell neoplasm, and she underwent its wide local excision. Immunohistochemistry showed expression of epithelial membrane antigen and CD35, but an absence of cytokeratin, desmin, CD23 and S100. The Ki-67 index was low and a diagnosis of FDCS was made. The lack of clinical guidelines was a challenge in the treatment of this rare case. A multidisciplinary board discussion played a critical role in the planning of the patient's adjuvant treatment., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2022. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Objective: To predict the muscle strength and postoperative function for soft-tissue sarcoma arising from the adductor compartment of the thigh., Methods: Between 2003 and 2019, 17 cases that underwent resection of the adductor muscle group (adductor longus, adductor magnus, adductor brevis, gracilis and pectineus) for soft-tissue sarcoma in the adductor compartment of the thigh were included. The muscle strength was measured with an isokinetic dynamometer for the knee joint and with a hand-held dynamometer for the hip joint (ratio of affected to unaffected side). The Musculoskeletal Tumor Society score, Toronto Extremity Salvage Score, European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions and maximum walking speed were used to assess postoperative function and examine correlations with muscle strength., Results: In 13 cases that underwent an isolated resection of the adductor compartment, reduced adduction strength correlated with increased number of resected muscles in the adductor muscle group (P < 0.001). Postoperative function was maintained, showing no correlations with adduction strength. In four cases that underwent combined resections of other compartments, a decrease was observed in adduction strength as well as the muscle strength of other resected muscles, in addition to a decline in postoperative function. In the 4 or 5 adductor muscle resection group, the comparison between isolated and combined resection revealed comparable results for adduction strength but a significant decrease in postoperative function for the combined resection group., Conclusions: Postoperative function can be preserved for isolated adductor compartment resection. Combined resections of multiple muscles in other compartments and most adductor muscles may result in decreased postoperative function., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The research was aimed on the study of motor capabilities on the Motor Function Measure (MFM) scale in ambulant and non-ambulant patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and to conduct a correlation analysis between the results of the MFM scale and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) data. A total of 46 boys who had genetically confirmed Duchenne muscular dystrophy (age from 2.1 to 16.7 years) and were in clinical rehabilitation were investigated. An assessment was performed according to the Motor Function Measure scale (subsections D1, D2, D3, and the total score), an MRI obtaining T1-VI of the muscles of the pelvic girdle was conducted, and the thighs and lower legs were further assessed in terms of the severity of fibrous-fat degeneration according to the Mercuri scale. In ambulant patients, the ability to stand up and move (D1) was 74.4%, axial and proximal motor functions (D2)—97.6%, distal motor functions (D3)—96.2%, and total score was 87.9%. In non-ambulant patients, the ability to stand up and move (D1) was 1.7%, axial and proximal motor functions (D2)—47%, distal motor functions (D3)—67.5%, and the total score—33.1%. A high inverse correlation (r = −0.7, p < 0.05) of the MRI data of the pelvic girdle and thighs with tasks D1, as well as a noticeable inverse correlation with tasks D2 (r = −0.6, p < 0.05) of the scale MFM, were revealed in the ambulant group of patients. In the non-ambulant group of patients, the MRI data of the lower legs muscles were characterized by a high inverse correlation (r = −0.7, p < 0.05) with tasks D3 and a noticeable inverse correlation (r = −0.6, p < 0.05) with tasks D1 of the MFM scale. Conclusion: The Motor Function Measure scale allows effective assessment of the motor capabilities of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy at different stages of the disease, which is confirmed by visualization of fibro-fatty muscle replacement.