A meissnerian neurofibroma: Case report of a rare neurofibroma variant

Abstract

Structures resembling Meissner corpuscles have been described in various nerve sheath tumors, including schwannomas and neurofibromas. When present, they are focal or scattered, and rarely a prominent feature of the lesion. Here, we report a case of a 39-year-old female who presented with an isolated lesion on her abdomen. Histopathologically, the tumor was almost exclusively composed of Meissner corpuscle-like structures (pseudo-meissnerian bodies). At a small edge of the tumor, there were features of a classic neurofibroma, with a mixture of Schwann cells, fibroblast-like cells, and interspersed mast cells. We propose the term "meissnerian neurofibroma" for this extremely rare variant of neurofibroma.

Keywords: Meissner body; Meissner corpuscle; nerve sheath tumor; neurofibroma; pacinian neurofibroma; pseudo-meissnerian body; schwannoma; tactile corpuscle.