Silicone lymphadenopathy mimicking a lymphoma in a patient with a metatarsophalangeal joint prosthesis

• Published in: Journal of clinical pathology Vol. 53; no. 7; pp. 549 - 551
• Main Authors: Péoc'h, M, Duprez, D, Grice, G, Fabre-Bocquentin, B, Gressin, R, Pasquier, B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Association of Clinical Pathologists 01.07.2000; BMJ; BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical materials; Biopsy; Breast implants; Cellular biology; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Flow cytometry; Foreign-Body Migration - complications; Granuloma, Foreign-Body - etiology; Granuloma, Foreign-Body - pathology; Humans; Joint Prosthesis - adverse effects; Joint surgery; lymphadenopathy; Lymphatic system; Lymphoma; Medical sciences; Microscopy; Middle Aged; Orthopedic surgery; Prostheses; prosthesis; Pseudolymphoma - etiology; Pseudolymphoma - pathology; Rheumatoid arthritis; Short Report; silicone; Silicone Elastomers - adverse effects; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Transplants & implants; Human; Immunohistochemistry; Prosthesis; Metatarsophalangeal joint; Malignant hemopathy; Hemopathy; Non Hodgkin lymphoma; Differential diagnostic; Case study; Pathology; Surgery; Lymphoproliferative syndrome; Adenopathy; Adult; Female; Siloxane polymer
• ISSN: 0021-9746; 1472-4146
• DOI: 10.1136/jcp.53.7.549

With lymph node enlargement, the possibility of a malignant process such as metastatic carcinoma or lymphoma needs to be excluded. This report describes a 47 year old woman with inguinal lymph node enlargement initially suspicious for lymphoma. Fine needle aspiration findings favoured reactive hyperplasia, but a malignant process could not be excluded. The final histological diagnosis was a foreign body granulomatous inflammatory response as a result of regionally disseminated silicone particles from an over looked metatarsophalangeal joint prosthesis. Because of the large number of joint prostheses world wide, it should be kept in mind that migration of wear particles can create granulomatous inflammation and node enlargement.