A giant superinfected uterine angioleiomyoma with distant septic metastases: an extremely rare presentation of a benign process and a systematic review of the literature

Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2019 Oct;300(4):841-847. doi: 10.1007/s00404-019-05267-w. Epub 2019 Aug 21.

Abstract

Purpose: Uterine angioleiomyoma is a rare type of leiomyoma variant and there are few cases reported in the literature. The definitive diagnosis is usually obtained only after the histopathologic examination because there are no specific imaging criteria for this disease. The objective of this article is to review published cases about this clinical condition.

Methods: We report a case of giant angioleiomyoma superinfected by S. agalactiae with the development of latero-cervical distant metastasis in a premenopausal woman. Firstly, the case herein reported was orientated as an endometrial stroma sarcoma in the peri-operative histologic examination by frozen sections. It was treated with laparotomic total hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, inframesocolic omentectomy and pelvic and paraaortic lymph node dissection. Postoperative definitive anatomopathological analyses using a proper immunohistochemical panel revealed a case of uterine angioleiomyoma. We also review other case reports published about this clinical condition.

Results: We present the first case reported in the literature, in our knowledge, of a giant angioleiomyoma superinfected by S. agalactiae with the development of distant septic metastases. Immunohistochemistry permitted the definitive diagnosis of angioleiomyoma. Treatments previously reported are hysterectomy or tumor resection and any patient recurred.

Conclusions: The definitive diagnosis is usually obtained after the definitive histopathologic examination since the use of immunohistochemical study has an important role in this regard. Complete surgical removal of the lesion is the treatment of choice, with no recurrent cases reported to date.

Keywords: Endometrial stroma sarcoma; Immunohistochemical study; Septic distant metastases; Uterine angioleiomyoma.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Systematic Review

MeSH terms

  • Angiomyoma / complications*
  • Angiomyoma / pathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Neoplasms
  • Sepsis / etiology*
  • Sepsis / pathology
  • Uterine Neoplasms / complications*
  • Uterine Neoplasms / pathology