Primary brachial plexus tumors: imaging, surgical, and pathological findings in 25 patients

Abstract

<jats:sec> <jats:title>Object</jats:title> <jats:p>The authors report on the treatment of primary brachial plexus tumors in 25 patients at the University of California, San Francisco. They compare their findings with those obtained in similar series.</jats:p></jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Methods</jats:title> <jats:p>The authors reviewed the electronic and medical records, radiological images, operative reports, and pathological findings in 25 consecutive cases of primary brachial plexus tumors. Cases of metastatic lesions or adjacent neoplasms extending into and involving the brachial plexus were excluded.</jats:p> <jats:p>At presentation patients ranged in age from 19 to 71 years (mean 47 ±15 years), and neurofibromatosis was present in eight patients (32%). Presenting signs and symptoms included palpable mass (60%), numbness/paresthesias (44%), radiating pain (44%), local pain (16%), and weakness (12%). Duration of symptoms ranged from 2 months to 10 years. Neuroimaging revealed lesions ranging widely in size (volume ~1 to &gt;100 ml). Pathological diagnoses included schwannoma (15 [60%]), neurofibroma (five [20%]), malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (four [16%]), and desmoid tumor (one [4%]).</jats:p></jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Conclusions</jats:title> <jats:p>Primary tumors arising in the brachial plexus are rare. Careful workup, surgical technique, and attention to pathological diagnosis optimize management.</jats:p></jats:sec>

Brachial Plexus Schwannoma: Report of 4 cases with Intralesional Enucleation

“…We obtained similar clinical characteristics of brachial plexus schwannoma as those reported in literature [3,4,[6][7][8][9][10]. Brachial plexus schwannoma could be a painless or painful mass.…”

“…It comprises of only 5% of all tumours of upper limb [1]. The two most common brachial plexus region tumors are schwannomas and neurofibromas [2][3][4]. Both are benign and arise from the nerve sheath.…”

“…[3,4,6]. Brachial plexus schwannoma can present as neck mass, axillary mass, supraclavicular mass or apical lung mass [7][8][9][10].…”

“Huge Axillary Mass - Neurofibroma Brachial Plexus”

“…Usual presentation of signs and symptoms include palpable mass (60%), numbness/paresthesias (44%), radiating pain (44%), local pain (16%), and weakness (12%). Age varies from 19 to 71 years, whereas duration of symptoms ranges from 2 months to 10 years, and lesions range widely in size [1]. A thorough history and examination is essential in patients with brachial plexus tumors because they have very few presenting symptoms and signs, and if present, can be subtle.…”

Clinico-Histopathological Study of Schwannoma at a Tertiary Care Centre, Gwalior

“…Among the primary tumors, schwannoma and neurofibromatosis are the two most common neoplasms and both of which are benign and eccentrically arise from neural sheath [5,13,14] .…”