NEUROMUSCULAR HAMARTOMAS OF THE HEAD AND NECK

The neuromuscular hamartoma (also referred to as the neuromuscular cho ristoma or benign triton tumor) is a rare developmental lesion compose d of mature elements of both striated muscle and nerve. TO date, less than 20 cases have been reported in the English language literature. T he majority of these have involved large nerves, such as the sciatic o r brachial plexus, but cutaneous lesions have also been reported. We r eport 2 cases that involve the head and neck and that are among the fe w described in this location. The majority of cases have been describe d in infants and young children. However, I of our cases (and at least 1 previously reported case) occurred in an adult. While surgical exci sion has been the most widely used form of therapy, a few cases have b een complicated by and/or associated with a second lesion, such as a f ibromatosis or lymphangioma.