Pathology of Elastofibroma

Dr Sampurna Roy MD                    2022

It was first reported by Jarvi and Saxen in 1959 and published in 1961.Jarvi O, Saxen E. Elastofibroma dorse. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand Suppl. 1961;51:83–4.

The lesion usually occurs in elderly patients and is relatively more common in females. Most cases are unilateral.

Bilateral involvement is present in about 10% of all cases.

The patient usually gives long history of manual labour.

Elastofibroma is usually located in the lower subscapular area and is probably caused by friction between the inferior edge of the scapula and the underlying chest wall.

Cases have also been reported in the deltoid muscle, hip, thigh and stomach.

Histologically, the lesion is characterized by an admixture of collagenous fibrous bands and elastic fibers.

Elastic stains (like Verhoeff-Van Gieson) reveal branched or unbranched fibres with irregular serrated margins or fibers arranged in globoid aggregates. 

Electron microscopic studies revealed that the fibres consisted of granular aggregations of electron dense material along a central core surrounded by an amorphous matrix containing microfibrils.

The collagen deposited in this disease is a mixture of Type I, II and III.

According to some authors it has been assumed there is an underlying genetic disposition or inherent enzymatic defect.

This benign reactive lesion has no tendency to recur and is usually treated by surgical excision.