Abrikossoff’s tumour: report of a rare case in anal and perianal region Ann. Ital. Chir., LXXV, 1, 2004 87 Ann. Ital. Chir., LXXV, 1, 2004 A. Ciulla, G. Tomasello, G. Urso, A. Sanzo, A. Maiorana, G. Castronovo, S. Damiani Università degli Studi di Palermo Dipartimento di Chirurgia Generale, Urgenza e Trapianti d’Organo (GEN.UR.T.O.) Direttore: Prof. S. Damiani Abstract The authors report a rare case of a 47-years old man suf- fered from Crohn’s disease and depression with multiple pro- minent lesions in the anal and perianal region. The biopsy of these lesions showed the presence of Abrikossoff’s tumour. This tumour is very rare in the anal region and usually the lesions are small (0.5-3 cm) and solitary. The authors report this case because they considered it an interesting case for the localization and the appearance of the lesions. Key words: Abrikossoff’s tumor, granular cell tumor. Riassunto IL TUMORE DI ABRIKOSSOFF: UN RARO CASO A LOCALIZZAZIONE ANALE E PERIANALE Gli Autori riportano il caso di un uomo di 47 anni, affet- to da M.di Crohn e sindrome depressiva, che presentava multiple lesioni prominenti in regione anale e perianale. L’esame istologico di tali lesioni, sottoposte a biopsia, dimo- strò la presenza di un tumore di Abrikossoff. Tale tumore si manifesta solitamente con lesioni piccole (0.5- 3 cm.) e solitarie e la localizzazione anale e perianale è alquanto rara. Parole chiave: Tumori di Abrikossoff. Introduction Abrikossoff’s tumor is a relatively rare, mostly benign lesion. Altough this disease may arise at virtually any site in the body it is more frequent in the oral mucous and espe- cially in the tongue (1). In the respiratory tract is loca- lized more frequently in the larynx, followed in inci- dence by the bronchus and rarely trachea (2-3). In the gastrointestinal tract account for about 5-10% of all the- se neoplasms and approximately one third of these occurs in the esophagus (4). It develops between the second and sixth decades of life, more frequently among women and blacks. (1) Usually it appears as a unique firm lesion, a sessile or peduncolated nodule, about 0.5 to 3 cm in diameter. Only in the 10-15% of patient may have lesions at multiple sites which can appear synchronously or metachronously. Malignant tumours are exceeding rare, accounting for only 1-2% of all granular cell tumors (5). They gene- rally have a similar histologic appearance to their beni- gn counterparts and are diagnosed after the appearance of distant metastases. The Authors describe an 47-years old man suffered from Abrikossoff’s tumour; it is considered an interesting case for the rarity of his location, anal and perianal, and for the appearance of the lesions, which can be mistaken for sqamous carcinoma. Case report A 47-years-old man, suffered from Crohn’s disease and depression, was admitted in our General Surgery Division in November 2001. He showed poor clinical conditions, with a right colo- stomy well-working and an inflammatory area around this colostomy. Multiple prominent lesions were present in the anal and perianal region. These showed irregular surface, reddish colour, hard- fibrous consistence and were confluent and covered with serum-fibrinous exudate (Photo 1). Pervenuto in Redazione il 20 Maggio 2003