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- Overgrowth: Increase in volume of a body part often seen in association with vascular malformations, although it may also occur independently, as in macrodactyly and facial infiltrative lipomatosis. When used as a diagnosis, this term implies an increase in volume in proportion of multiple tissue types which normally make up the part, so histological examination is often normal. In a limb, there will usually be increased limb length in addition to girth, although if several structures, such as muscles which are otherwise morphologically normal are enlarged without change in limb length, the term can be used. The term ‘overgrowth’ should not be used diagnostically to describe an isolated vascular malformation, in which the proliferation of vascular structures is out of proportion to other tissues.
