Case Report

Acquired trichostasis in postoperative site: a case report

Deba P Sarma^*, Benjamin A Maertins and Eric E Santos

• * Corresponding author: Deba P Sarma debasarma@creighton.edu

Author Affiliations

Department of Pathology, Creighton University Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68131, USA

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Cases Journal 2009, 2:9310 doi:10.1186/1757-1626-2-9310

Published: 11 December 2009

Abstract

Introduction

Usual causes of a papule or nodule in a post-operative site after resection of a skin tumor are residual or recurrent tumor, proliferative scar, or suture granuloma with inflammation and granulation tissue. Inverted or trapped hair, an acquired trichostasis, has not been implicated as a cause in such cases, this is probably the first case reported in literature.

Case presentation

A 31-year-old woman underwent an excision of a ruptured epidermal cyst of the left axilla. One month later, the previous excision site was re-excised secondary to a non-healing, inflamed papule in order to exclude recurrent epidermal cyst formation. Microscopic examination revealed that the cause of the papular lesion was acquired trichostasis, rather than a recurrent epidermal cyst.

Conclusion

A papular or nodular lesion at a postoperative site may rarely be caused by acquired trichostasis and should be considered as one of the differential diagnosis.