DIGITAL FIBROUS SWELLINGS IN CHILDREN

Abstract

SUMMARY.— Clinical, histological and ultrastructural features of digital fibrous swellings in children are described. The clinical progress of these cases indicates that the lesions tend to regress spontaneously, and that they are recurrent only in the sense that growth may continue after incomplete surgical excision. A characteristic feature of the lesions is the occurrence of cells with dense cytoplasmic deposits. These cells appear to be abnormal fibroblasts, but electron microscopy provides no clues as to the origin, nature, or causation of the cytoplasmic deposits. No evidence was obtained to support a suggestion that the lesions may have an infective viral origin. Elastic fibres were very scarce within the swellings, and showed some evidence of abnormality. Collagen fibres, constituting the bulk of the swellings, appeared essentially normal.