Management of Congenital Melanocytic Naevi in Children: A French National Survey Using Clinical Vignettes

Management of congenital melanocytic naevi in childhood may vary depending on the habits and experience of the treating clinician. The aim of this study was to assess current practice and determinants of surgical excision decision-making among French physicians. A national survey was conducted among dermatologists, paediatricians and surgeons, using clinical vignettes illustrating 29 scenarios. The primary outcome was the decision to perform surgical excision in each vignette. Of the 11,310 decisions made by the 390 participants (257 dermatologists, 35 surgeons, and 98 paediatricians) surgical excision was chosen in 33% of cases. The stated motivations for performing surgical excision were: melanoma risk, aesthetic/psychosocial risk, or both, in 39%, 34% and 27% of cases, respectively. Physicians with a higher level of experience in oncodermatology were more likely to opt for surgical excision. The age of the child, the size of the congenital melanocytic naevi, and the visibility of the lesion had no influence on the decision to perform surgical excision.