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Fibrolipomatous hamartoma of the median nerve in a child with carpal tunnel syndrome: imaging findings and literature review

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Abstract

Fibrolipomatous hamartoma of the median nerve is an uncommon benign tumour of the childhood, which usually manifests in adolescents or adulthood with signs of compressive neuropathy at wrist. Symptomatic tumour is unusual in children below 5 years age and can be underdiagnosed. Magnetic resonance imaging provides pathognomonic features for the diagnosis, obviating the need for biopsy. Although standard ultrasonography is frequently the first-line imaging approach in the evaluation of soft-tissue masses, sonographic findings of this lesion are less frequently reported and have to be kept in mind by radiologist. We report the unusual case of carpal tunnel syndrome secondary to fibrolipomatous hamartoma of the median nerve in a 4-year-old child successfully treated with surgical carpal tunnel release.

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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and analysis were performed by Guglielmo Paolantonio, Marco Cirillo and Francesca Grussu. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Guglielmo Paolantonio and Marco Cirillo and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Guglielmo Paolantonio.

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Paolantonio, G., Cirillo, M., Grussu, F. et al. Fibrolipomatous hamartoma of the median nerve in a child with carpal tunnel syndrome: imaging findings and literature review. J Ultrasound 26, 913–918 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40477-022-00741-9

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