A 3-month-old infant girl presented with a polypoid lesion in the perianal region. No changes in this lesion had been noted since birth. Microscopic examination of the excised specimen showed a mixture of mesenchymal elements, dominated by haphazard thin fascicles of skeletal muscle. Collagen and vascular changes were also apparent. Immunohistochemistry showed positive staining for muscle-specific actin and desmin in the fascicular components of the lesion, and smooth muscle actin, desmin, and h-caldesmon positivity in a haphazard collection of muscle fibers in the deep dermis and anal submucosa. Numerous Verhoeff-van Gieson positive elastic fibers were also noted. Hamartomas containing skeletal muscle have rarely been reported outside of the head and neck region. They must be distinguished from a variety of other tumors, including juvenile rhabdomyoma, benign Triton tumor, and rhabdomyosarcoma.
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