[Diagnosis and therapy of calcifying intramuscular hemangiomas of the lower extremity].

During a 6 year interval from 1990 to 1996 13 patients suffering from calcifying cavernous hemangioma of the lower extremity were treated by surgical resection of the tumor and were followed-up postoperatively for remaining functional loss and recurrence rate. The resection of the medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle was performed seven times, the resection of the lateral head was done in 5 patients. In one patient the soleus muscle was partially resected. Simultaneous lengthening of the Achilles tendon was done in 11 patients for correction of foot drop deformity. The histological examination revealed three cavernous hemangiomas, one arterio-venous angioma racemosum and nine mixed capillary-cavernous hemangiomas. The patients were able to walk at 5.3 weeks following surgery. During the 29 months follow-up period there was no recurrence of symptoms neither of the hemangioma.