Intraneural lipoma of the ulnar nerve: A rare case report and review.

Intraneural lipoma of the ulnar nerve is a rare peripheral nerve tumor in an uncommon location. Although its benign course, it can cause disabling symptoms such as pain, diminished sensation or paraesthesia, tenderness, and occasionally even loss of strength. We present the case of a middle age woman with insidious paresthesias and swelling of the hypothenar eminence of the left hand for over 1 year. A hand and wrist radiograph first confirmed a focal soft tissue mass with fat density and excluded potential bone lesions. Then, an ultrasound was performed that showed a slightly hyperechoic mass with a fibrillated pattern in contiguity with the proximal aspect of the ulnar nerve. The morphological arrangement of this mass, its location along ulnar nerve distribution and the main signal characteristics in magnetic resonance imaging such as hyperintensity in T1- and T2-weighted images and hypointensity in fat saturation sequences inferred an intraneural lipoma. Due to the progressive symptoms, elective resection of the lesion was performed with full recovery of the symptoms.

Deep Flexor Tendon Entrapment in a Diaphyseal Fracture of the Proximal Phalanx - A Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: The proximal phalanx fracture is a common fracture of the hand in pediatric ages. Most of these fractures can be treated conservatively with immobilization. There are only few cases reporting tendon entrapment in literature and most of them refer to epiphyseal fractures with only one case reporting tendon entrapment after diaphyseal fracture. CASE REPORT: A 15-year-old boy went to the emergency department after suffering trauma in his right hand caused by a fall. He complained of pain in his second finger of the right hand which was swollen. An imaging study was performed and a fracture of the proximal phalanx diaphysis of the second finger of the right hand was diagnosed. Due to deviation, reduction, syndactyly, and immobilization with Zimmer splint were performed. The control X-ray showed acceptable reduction and the patient was referred for follow-up at an outpatient consultation. During follow-up, the reduction was maintained and the conservative treatment was kept for 25 days, with apparent fracture healing. The patient presented active flexion limitation of the finger that was interpreted as a sequel of the immobilization and he was referred for physical therapy rehabilitation. Six weeks after the initial trauma, the patient was observed at the emergency department for new right-hand trauma. On examination, no active flexion of the third phalanx of the second finger of the right hand was noticed. The patient underwent an ultrasound that revealed deep flexor tendon entrapment at the fracture focus. A surgery was performed consisting in tenolysis and reconstruction of the pulleys using a portion of the long palmar tendon. The patient has good clinical evolution with almost complete recovery of mobility. CONCLUSION: This case illustrates an entrapment of deep flexor tendon after a diaphyseal fracture of the proximal phalanx, with only few cases reported in literature. The authors highlight the importance of having a high index of suspicion to detect this situation once it restrains the success of the conservative treatmentand makes the surgery mandatory to avoid definite sequels and disabilities.