Use of intraoperative ultrasound in excision of multiple schwannomas of the thigh

Schwannomatosis is a rare neoplastic condition of unclear etiology characterized by multiple schwannomas in the absence of other manifestations of neurofibromatosis. In very rare cases, these tumors develop in an isolated region of the body. Complete removal of these tumors presents a surgical challenge because they are often small and difficult to locate. We found that intraoperative sonography offers invaluable assistance in such cases by localizing small schwannomas and decreasing operative time and extent of the surgical dissection. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 33:360–363, 2005