Multicompartment intramuscular hemangioma of the foot: a case study

Abstract

Soft-tissue tumors in the foot include a range of benign and malignant pathologies. In the clinical setting, the list of differential diagnoses can be exhausting, and the treatment plan is not always straightforward. In this article, we present a case of a 22-year-old female with a soft-tissue mass on her plantar foot that has been slowly growing since adolescence and is now causing increased pain with ambulation. Her pathology results demonstrated an intramuscular hemangioma. Intramuscular hemangiomas are rare benign tumors that tend to present in youth or early adulthood. Diagnosis is often delayed for months to years, depending on the patient's symptoms. Treatment varies from conservative to surgical, depending on size, location, and proximity to vital structures. Literature on intramuscular hemangiomas is very limited. Intramuscular hemangiomas provide a diagnostic and treatment quandary for the clinician and must be considered in the differential diagnoses when presented with a soft-tissue mass.