Journal of Medical Case Reports (Sep 2024)

Fungating synovial sarcoma at the posterior aspect of neck: a case report

  • Badaruddin Sahito,
  • Sajjad Ahmed,
  • Fahad Hanif Khan,
  • Awais Abro,
  • Jugdesh Kumar,
  • Muhammad Waqas Khan,
  • Malik Olatunde Oduoye

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13256-024-04747-1
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 18, no. 1
pp. 1 – 5

Abstract

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Abstract Background In this report, we describe an uncommon instance of fungating synovial sarcoma affecting the posterior aspect of the neck. Although the existing literature has documented a limited number of cases, this particular case contributes to the knowledge about it, which is scarce. Case presentation A total of 5 months before the examination, a Pakistani-Asian male, age 20 years, complained of a malodorous fungating swelling on the posterior aspect of his neck. An examination revealed a foul-smelling, 10 × 13 cm fungating enlargement surrounded by maggots and hemorrhaging at the site of the incision. A hemoglobin level of 6 and a total leukocyte count (TLC) of 23,000 indicated the patient’s disoriented and pallid appearance. He was expeditiously admitted, and preoperatively, the general well-being of the patient was optimized. After a comprehensive discussion with the medical team, a strategy for marginal excision and coverage with a latissimus dorsi (LD) flap and grafting was devised. The tumor was successfully excised, and an LD flap with graft was conducted on the patient during surgery; however, the infection caused the failure of half of the graft. Following that, the lesion was debrided, and re-grafting was performed. The patient was subsequently administered 5 cycles of chemotherapy and 32 cycles of radiotherapy. He was diagnosed with pulmonary metastasis 2 years later. Sadly, the patient died during a follow-up visit 3.5 years later. Conclusions The patient’s unfavorable prognosis after surgical intervention, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, despite undergoing all-encompassing treatments, underscores the importance of early detection and intervention in fungating tumor cases.

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