Comment on article 'Massive localized oedema of the thigh in a morbidly obese patient' (EJSO 2010;36:104-106).

摘要

Dear sir, the authors of this article are to be congratulated on the honest account of this "lesson of the month" but I would like to make some further comments.It is not really clear why the team ignored the evidence of their own biopsy and treated the patient for a sarcoma when the generous biopsy indicated a benign condition. The patient had more extensive surgery than was required. Fortunately, it is unlikely that significant functional deficit will ensue. The lesson here is "primum non nocere". Given the doubts produced by the negative biopsy, surely a simple excision of the lesion with primary closure should have been the path chosen. The idea that a radical excision might prevent a subsequent angiosarcoma is rather speculative. To extend the theme, I would make the point that occasionally much harm is done by inappropriately radical surgery for benign disease masquerading as malignancy.