Abstract
A rare case of gumma located in the skeletal muscle was reported. An unmarried woman aged 18 had a mass in the left popliteal space without any subjective symptom. Operation revealed the mass was consisted of three separate tumors, of which one was child’s fist and two others were smaller in size, located in the popliteal space just like riding on the posterior aspect of the lateral condyle of the femur. The tumors had the origin in the femoral biceps muscle and was tightly adhesive with surrounding tissues, but no communication into the articular cavity was observed. Painless synovitis of the knee joint was recognized. Syphilitic test of the patient’s serum and joint fluid was positive, but no other syphilitic symptom was manifest. Her mother and brother showed the positive STS. The tumor was capsulated by the connective tissue and its sectional surface was light yello-wish-white and gummy elastic in consistence with cavity inside. Histological diagnosis was gumma. The patient has no symptom now at the interval of 1.5 years after operation, despite that her STS is still positive. The case was thought to be caused by congenital syphilis.
