Background: The purpose of this work was to analyse the surgical procedure used and the outcome from patients with solitary nerve associated benign tumors of the extremities (SNABTE) >5 cm.
Methods: A 15 year review was performed for all patients with SNABTE treated in our department. The surgical procedures used (complete or incomplete tumor removal, with or without nerve preservation), the needs for grafting techniques as well as the outcome were analysed.
Results: Nine (9.5%) of 94 patients with SNABTE met the study requirements. The histological diagnosis revealed a schwannoma in four cases, a neurofibroma in three cases, one lipoma and one lipofibroma. Seven lesions could be completely excised. Preservation of the nerve bundles with complete neurological recovery was possible in five cases. The resection of a 22 cm neurofibroma without preservation of the nerve did not add measurable residual neurological deficits. One patient with a peroneal neurofibroma required a grafting procedure. Intentional incomplete tumor excisions were performed in two patients with well preserved nerve functions where a median nerve lipofibroma and a radial nerve neurofibroma were diagnosed. All patients showed different degrees of improved outcome.
Conclusions: We conclude that the complete resection of large SNABTE, excepting lipofibromas and some neurofibromas, is always possible and associated with an improved outcome. The nerve preservation should be attempted in all cases, particularly in those with conserved functionality of a major nerve trunk.