E151

PERIPHERAL NERVE - Malformation

Description
This is part of the specimen; the original showed a nerve trunk some 2 cm long expanded in a multinodular fashion 2 cm in diameter at one end. The nerve trunk is shown here but only part of the expanded end is included, the rest having been examined microscopically. Sections of the expansion showed fibrous tissue, fat and nerve fibres; nerve fibres were entwined and embedded in fibrous tissue in an appearance not unlike a "stump neuroma". It was thought that this may represent a hamartoma of the nerve trunk.
History
This was excised from the palmar surface of the distal phalanx of the thumb on a child of 11 years.