Uterine angioleiomyoma – a rare variant of uterine leiomyoma: review of literature and case reports

Abstract

IntroductionUterine angioleiomyoma (AL) is an extremely rare variant of uterine leiomyoma. It is composed of smooth muscle cells and thick-walled blood vessels. Angioleiomyoma usually occurs in middle-aged women, 40-60 years old. Aim of the study was to review of literature research reports on uterine AL. Discussion of nine case reports of uterine AL in the patients operated on in our ward.Material and methodsThe paper presents analysis of accessible research reports on uterine AL, and medical records of the patients operated on in our ward.ResultsMean age of the patients with uterine AL was 47.11 ±5.21, body mass index (BMI) 25.88 ±3.95. All women had given birth (1-5 natural deliveries, 2.44 mean). Uterine AL occurred in 0.34% to 0.40% cases of leiomyomas. Angioleiomyoma were located intramurally and subserosally in six and three patients (respectively, 66.7% and 33.3%). Laparotomy was undertaken in seven cases (77.8%), transvaginal access in two cases (22.2%), and myomectomy in one case (11.1%). Blood transfusion was required in four cases (44.4%).ConclusionsIn the group of uterine leiomyomas, uterine ALs occurred in 0.34-0.40% of cases. Angioleiomyoma cases posed a greater risk of complications threatening the patient’s health and life. Preoperative differentiation of AL with ovarian tumour was more difficult due to frequent degenerative lesions in the course of uterine AL.

Diagnosis and outcomes of surgical treatment of carotid bifurcation tumors

“…Angioleiomyoma may develop in veins, the retinal cavity, intestine, and ureter. 12 Angioleiomyoma rarely occurs at the carotid artery bifurcation. In 2008, Ural et al.…”

Giant angioleiomyoma of uterus: A case report with focus on CT imaging

“…Angioleiomyoma of the uterus ranges from 4 cm to 30 cm in the greatest dimension; but few cases reach size greater than 20 cm [1] , [2] , [3] , [4] , [7] , [8] , [9] .…”

“…In any case, angioleiomyoma should be included in the differential diagnosis when the CT imaging highlights prominent tortuous vascular-like structures arising from the uterus [4] . However, from the literature, it emerges that a final diagnosis was made only when histopathologic investigation was performed [1] , [9] .…”

“…In most cases, the surgical treatment is hysterectomy with or without resection of appendages; myomectomy, when technically possible, is rare, and it is considered only to preserve fertility [9] .…”

Successfully removed uterine angioleiomyoma by robot-assisted laparoscopic myomectomy

“…Angioleiomyoma, known as vascular leiomyoma, is a rare variant of leiomyoma composed of smooth muscle cells and thickened vessels [ 1 ]. Angioleiomyoma usually occurs in the subcutaneous tissue, most often in the lower extremities, head and neck region [ 1 ], and can be rarely found in the female genital tract including uterine corpus, uterine cervix, ovary or broad ligament [ 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ].…”