Clinical picture and treatment of cutaneous lesions in patients with neurofibromatosis type 1

INTRODUCTION: The most common type of neurofibromatosis is Recklinghausen disease (NF-1). A major feature of NF1 is the development of localized cutaneous neurofibromas. Such types of lesions are manifested in > 99% of adults with NF1 and are responsible for major negative effects on quality of life. AIM: To present the clinical picture of patients with NF-1 and to report authors’ own observations related to their surgical treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective study aiming to present a group of patients with Recklinghausen disease was planned. The study was carried out in 39 patients with NF-1. RESULTS: All patients had cutaneous neurofibromas localized in different parts of the body. The three most frequent localizations were the abdomen, back, and face. Surgical treatment was performed in 31 patients. All patients had discomfort due to the presence of cutaneous nodules especially because their visibility and multiplicity. CONCLUSIONS: Due to the polymorphism of the clinical picture and unpredictable course of the disease, there is no one standard of treatment of patients with Recklinghausen disease. Excision of tumours in the early stage of their development gives better functional and aesthetic results.