Foot soft-tissue tumor excision with preservation of digital vascular supply

A 40-year-old patient presented with a foot mass that had been present for years, with a clear recent increase in size over the last three months. The mass was located at the lateral/anterior aspect of the foot near the fifth toe region and adjacent soft tissues.

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Case summary

  • Age: 40 years.
  • Presentation: foot mass present for years with rapid recent enlargement over three months.
  • Location: lateral/anterior foot near the fifth toe and adjacent soft tissues.
  • Imaging: X-ray showed a large soft-tissue mass with clear calcification/ossification. The exact diagnosis cannot be confirmed from images alone.
  • Procedure: surgical excision of the mass while preserving the digital vascular supply as much as possible.
  • Functional objective: remove the mass while maintaining toe perfusion and vital foot tissues whenever safely feasible.

Important medical note

This educational page is based on the clinical images and case information provided. It is not a final pathology report. The definitive diagnosis depends on histopathological examination of the excised specimen.

Key surgical planning points

  1. Planning the surgical approach to allow safe access to the mass without compromising digital perfusion.
  2. Gradual dissection around the tumor while protecting the small vessels supplying the toes.
  3. Excision of the mass as completely as safely possible and sending the specimen for pathology.
  4. Inspection of the tumor bed after excision to confirm tissue viability and absence of visible vascular injury or bleeding.

Image sequence

The following anonymized educational images show the preoperative appearance, X-ray findings, surgical dissection, tumor bed after excision, and the removed specimen.

Preoperative clinical view showing a large soft-tissue mass on the lateral and anterior aspect of the foot near the fifth toe region.
Preoperative clinical view: large lateral/anterior foot mass near the fifth toe region.
Preoperative frontal clinical view showing lateral foot enlargement and local deformity caused by the mass.
Preoperative frontal view: lateral foot enlargement with local deformity.
Preoperative side view showing the prominence of the foot mass and its relation to the surrounding skin and soft tissues.
Preoperative side view: prominence of the mass and surrounding soft-tissue relationship.
Preoperative X-ray showing a large calcified or ossified soft-tissue mass beside the metatarsals and toes.
Preoperative X-ray: large calcified or ossified soft-tissue mass near the forefoot bones.
Additional X-ray view showing the calcified mass extension and its relation to adjacent foot bones.
Additional X-ray view: calcified mass extension near adjacent foot bones.
Intraoperative image showing careful dissection around the tumor with preservation of the digital vascular supply.
Intraoperative step: careful dissection while preserving digital vascular supply.
Surgical bed after tumor excision with preservation of vital adjacent tissues as much as possible.
After excision: surgical bed with preservation of vital adjacent tissues as much as possible.
Excised specimen showing a large foot soft-tissue tumor after surgical removal.
Excised specimen: large foot soft-tissue tumor after removal.
Internal section of the excised specimen showing a firm calcified or ossified appearance; final diagnosis depends on pathology.
Specimen section: firm calcified appearance; final diagnosis depends on pathology.

Learning points

  • A long-standing foot mass with recent rapid enlargement needs careful clinical and radiological evaluation.
  • Calcification or ossification inside a soft-tissue mass should not be treated as a final diagnosis by imaging alone.
  • Foot tumor excision requires precise knowledge of local anatomy, especially digital vessels and surrounding soft tissues.
  • Follow-up depends on pathology, wound healing, toe perfusion, and foot function.

Medical disclaimer

This case is shared for patient education. It does not replace direct clinical examination, imaging review, or pathology confirmation. Treatment plans vary according to each patient’s diagnosis, anatomy, pathology result, and functional requirements.