Repair of Soft Tissue Defect with Intraoperative Tissue Expansion after Surgical Resection of Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans: A Case Report

Abstract

While it is the most frequently observed subtype of all cutaneous soft tissue sarcomas, dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans is still uncommon, with a high local recurrence rate. Although surgical resection could be a simple curative procedure, surgeons can encounter difficulties when dissecting or closing the wound, depending on the location and the size of the tumor. We present a case report of direct repair of soft tissue defect with intraoperative tissue expansion after sarcoma resection. A 62-year-old male visited our clinic with an approximately 1.5×1.5 cm-sized mass on his lower leg. We excised the mass, which a pathologic study confirmed as dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans. The authors planned a wide excision of the lesion as soon as possible. The excised lesion was not large; however, the soft tissue defect could not be closed by direct approximation. We eventually closed the tumor resection wound using a Foley catheter as a tissue expander. The patient’s wound healed well, albeit leaving a minimal scar. This case suggests that a Foley catheter could be an effective and versatile tool that is readily available in any medical setting, including after a small tumor resection in outpatient surgery.