CASE REPORTS   

Minerva Chirurgica 2013 June;68(3):329-32

Copyright © 2013 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Melanoma relapse over a pacemaker pocket: case report and integrated management strategies

Ribero S. ^{1, 2}, Pullara A. ³, Caliendo V. ¹, Lauro D. ¹, Balagna E. M. ¹, Cristoforetti Y. ³, Golzio P. G. ³, Gaita F. ³, Quaglino P. ², Bernengo M. G. ², Macripò G. ¹ ✉

¹ Division of Surgical Dermatology, Oncologic Department, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino Turin, Italy; ² Department of Medical Sciences, Dermatologic Clinic, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; ³ Department of Medical Sciences, Section of Cardiology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy

We report the first related case of a metastasis from melanoma appeared on a pacemaker device pocket. The stadiation exams showed that this is the only localization of the pathology. The integrated management from both cardiologic and dermatologic surgery was described. It was composed by two interventions, a first time for the implant of a new device contralaterally, and later by the surgical intervention, with exeresis of the lesion, radical lymph node dissection of the axilla and plastic reconstruction. The previous pacemaker implant may hypothetically create a favourable environment for metastatic cells ingrowth. This could be explained by a chronic inflammatory reaction and capsule formation around the device as previously reported, or by a blockage of lymphatic drainage in this specific site.