Intravascular Papillary Endothelial Hyperplasia: Challenge in Diagnosis and Vascular Reconstruction

Abstract

Intravascular papillary endothelial hyperplasia (IPEH) is a rare, benign nonneoplastic vascular lesion. A case of IPEH occurring in a 41-year-old woman is described. Suspicion for malignancy prompted the taking of an intraoperative frozen section, which disclosed this unusual pathologic diagnosis. Since the tumor growth involved the bifurcation of the brachial artery, the vascular reconstruction was technically challenging. Descriptions of IPEH are not widely published in the vascular surgical literature since these lesions are usually small and their excision does not require vascular reconstruction. Vascular surgeons should be aware of this benign vascular malformation since it resembles a lowgrade angiosarcoma.