CONGENITAL MELANOCYTIC NEVI: A CASE SERIES

Nevi represent benign melanocytic neoplasms that have importance as facultative precursors and predictors of cutaneous melanoma. In daily clinical practice high nevus counts help to identify person at risk. In the period between January 2008 and December 2010, 141 patients underwent to nevi excision at the Pediatric Surgery Unit, S Anna Hospital, Ferrara, Italy. Patients included 64 (45.4%) females and 77 (54,6%) males. Age ranged from 1.5 to 18 years with a mean value of 12.4 years at the time of admission. 29, 46, 75 and 19 nevi where located in arms, legs, trunk and head and neck, respectively. 19, 121 and 29 nevi were junctional, compound and dermal nevi, respectively. Nevi were treated with surgical excision: 35 under general anesthesia, 4 under sedation and the remaining under local anesthesia. Melanocytic nevi during the past have been treated with several techniques such as cauterization with carbon dioxide, snow, a heated platinum loop and even by x-ray. Most of these treatments result unsatisfactory because these cause scars whereas leaving few intact melanocytes in the derma. Surgical excision is the method of choice. If the lesion has been injured or infected antibiotic treatment could facilitate healing.