BACKGROUND:

Leiomyomas are benign tumors that originate in smooth muscle fibers. Most leiomyomas of the female genital tract are located in the uterus. Extrauterine localization is exceptional; the incidence of vulvar leiomyoma is 0.07%. These smooth muscle tumors are usually painless, slow growing and can occur in women of any age.

OBJECTIVE:

To report a case of vulvar leiomyoma that because of its low incidence and clinical similarity to other lesions, such as Bartholin's gland cyst, may lead to an initial misdiagnosis. In addition, a review of the literature should be carried out in order to contribute to its diagnosis and treatment.

CLINICAL CASE:

A 52-year-old patient with a vulvar mass of years of evolution and an initial misdiagnosis of Bartholin's gland cyst. The patient was operated by surgical excision and subsequent histopathological study. The definitive diagnosis was vulvar leiomyoma with symplastic differentiation.

CONCLUSIONS:

In contrast to its uterine counterparts, the vaginal location of leiomyoma is exceptional. Although the effectiveness of a preoperative biopsy has not been demonstrated so far, it is advisable to take a biopsy because it could be a mass with malignant characteristics, which would change the treatment and its urgency. The surgical approach is perhaps the most appropriate because it allows, in addition to a definitive anatomopathological diagnosis, a curative treatment. Complete excision is proposed, by means of an ellipsoidal incision in the skin and ensuring complete excision of the pseudocapsule.

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