Atheroma - symptoms and treatment

Author: Surgeon Denisov M.М.

Separate tumor-forming formations are isolated into a separate group, which are similar in appearance to tumors, but histological studies are not true tumors.

One of the often encountered tumoral formations is atheroma.

Atheroma in Greek means "a tumor that looks like a porridge of wheat flour." This disease is a retinal cyst of the sebaceous gland. There is an atheroma mainly as a result of blockage of the sebaceous gland, namely its duct. Thus, it becomes impossible to remove the secretion of the working gland, stagnation of its contents. And the sebaceous gland turns into a tumor-like formation, in view of the fact that the secret stretches the capsule of the gland.

A favorite site for localization of the atheroma is the zone most abundantly provided with sebaceous glands (back, scalp, face). Given the fact that the sebaceous gland is always adjacent to hair follicles, you can safely say that atheroma is never formed in a place where there is no growth of hair (palms, soles). Atheromas, located in the thickness of the skin, are characterized by a fairly dense connective tissue capsule. The size is characterized by a great variety: from the size of a cherry stone to a large chicken egg. Atheromas can be either single or multiple.

Most often, multiple atheromas are localized on the scalp. In this case, the patient complains of a mild, painless, tumor-like formation that appears to tend to increase.

When examined, a tumor is identified that has a smooth, even surface, a soft or hard-elastic consistency. The skin above the atheroma is thinned, closely welded to the formation.

As a rule, patients turn to a doctor in case of an inflammation of the atheroma. This fact can be associated with microtrauma, scratching, overcooling. In this case, suppuration is accompanied by pronounced local changes: the skin over the area of ​​education blushes, it becomes even thinner, the palpation of this area is accompanied by a sharp pain. In addition, there may be a selection of atheroma contents.

Treatment

Treatment with atheroma only surgical. The operation is small, performed very quickly and outpatiently, so you do not have to go to the hospital, with the correct primary surgical treatment . As evidence for the operation is a cosmetic defect, as well as complaints of the patient for frequent suppuration. Surgical intervention is performed under local infiltration anesthesia and consists in performing complete excision or atheroma exfoliation with the capsule. The skin, as a rule, is dissected by semi-oval incisions, between which the mouth of the sebaceous gland is clearly visible. In order to prevent a relapse of the disease, it is necessary to completely remove the capsule.

After the removal of the formation is made together with the capsule, the doctor applies cosmetic sutures. In the event that the operation was performed with a complicated atheroma, the wound is not sutured, in order to ensure a complete outflow of purulent contents and self-cleaning. These procedures are aimed at faster granulation of the wound .

As a rule, the incision is of small size, so the scar is formed small and barely noticeable. However, individual characteristics can not be ruled out - sometimes the healing process takes place over a long period of time, leaving traces in the form of cicatricial changes.