Osteochondroma

Osteochondroma
Classification and external resources
Lateral radiograph of the knee demonstrating ossification in the peritendinous tissues in a patient with osteochondroma.
ICD-10	C40-C41
ICD-O:	9210/0
DiseasesDB	34033
MeSH	[1]

Osteochondroma is a type of benign tumor that consists of cartilage and bone.^[1] It is a benign capped-cartilage outgrowth, connected to bone by a stalk.

It is the most frequently observed neoplasm of the skeleton. It is also called a "bone spur".

They generally occur at the end of the growth plates of long bones, often at joints. They most commonly form at the shoulder or the knee but have been known to occur in the long bones of the forearm (i.e. the radius and ulna).

Osteochondroma is a benign tumor that contains both bone and cartilage and usually occurs near the end of a long bone. This tumor, one of the most common benign bone tumors, takes the form of a cartilage-capped bony spur or outgrowth on the surface of the bone. It is sometimes referred to as osteocartilaginous exostosis.

Variations

On most occasions the tumors grow outward from the legs or arms. However, very few cases have been reported with the bone spur growing inward. One such occasion was in October 2004, in which a patient was diagnosed with an osteochondroma growing from the rib inward, puncturing the diaphragm wall and requiring immediate surgery to remove the seventh rib.^{[citation needed]} This allowed the surgeons to alleviate pressure and the chance to remove the large mass of coagulated blood from around the heart. The surgery was performed by Dr. Goerstky at the Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters, in Norfolk, Virginia.

Treatment

Osteochondromas are most often, upon diagnosis, simply monitored through periodic x-rays. Those tumors that grow large enough to irritate surrounding muscles, tendons, or tissues are usually removed by surgery.

See also

• Exostosis
• Trevor disease

References

External links

• Humpath #2790 (Pathology images)
• MHE Research Foundation/Multiple Osteochondroma Website
• BoneTumor.org
• American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons