Acral tendon sheath giant cell tumors. Case series with a brief review

Introduction. Giant cell tumor of the tendon sheath (GCT-TS) is a benign, slow-growing soft tissue tumor that commonly affects the fingers. Despite its non-malignant nature, recurrence rates range from 15–45%, and sometimes occur even after a decade. This case series aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of five patients with GCT-TS, emphasizing clinical presentation, imaging, histopathology, and surgical outcomes. Materials and methods. This 24-month prospective case series (May 2022–June 2024) at Omandurar Government Medical College, Chennai, included five histopathologically confirmed GCT-TS patients who underwent wide local excision under microscope by a single senior surgeon. Cases were classified by Al-Qattan type and followed clinically, radiologically, and functionally for two years. Results. With a sex ratio of 3:2 and age ranging from 17 to 45, three out of five cases were Type-I Al-Qattan with well-defined margins. Two out of five patients were Al-Qattan Type-II a. One patient had scar tenderness treated with physical therapy, and two patients had bony indentation. No other complications were observed, including recurrence. Conclusions. Radiological and histopathological evaluation is essential for grading and deciding the method of surgical excision. Microscopic wide excision is effective in treating GCT-TS, and minimizing the risk of recurrence.