Traumatic neuroma in mastectomy scar: Two case reports and review of the literature

RATIONALE: Traumatic neuroma is a reparative proliferative response of the nerve after trauma or surgery, which rarely occurs in the breast. However, it must be distinguished from tumor recurrence. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 78-year-old woman underwent left-sided modified radical mastectomy for invasive carcinoma, 7 years before this case. Two painless nodules near the mastectomy scar were discovered in regular follow-up physical examination. A 62-year-old woman had received right-sided modified radical mastectomy for intraductal carcinoma, 4 years before this case. An asymptomatic nodule near the mastectomy scar was detected during follow-up ultrasound (US) examination. DIAGNOSIS: The lesions in both patients were diagnosed as traumatic neuroma. INTERVENTIONS: The first patient underwent excisional biopsy. The second patient underwent US guided core-needle aspiration, followed by conservative therapy. OUTCOMES: Neither patient complained of any discomfort, nor both exhibited normal physical and US findings during follow-up examinations. LESSONS: Newly discovered nodules with the benign imaging features near the mastectomy site of a patient, especially with the tail sign, traumatic neuromas should be taken into consideration. Routine US examination is important for follow-up of breast cancer patients who have undergone mastectomy.