Forearm deformities in multiple cartilaginous exostoses

Primary bone tumors and tumor like lesions of the ulna

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to discuss the diagnosis and surgical management and their results according to stage of primary bone tumors at ulna and to share our experience on this exceptional location for bone tumors.

METHODS

We have retrospectively reviewed our clinics database and identified 23 cases (14 males and 9 females, mean age was 28.9 (range 4-77)) with primary bone tumors and tumor like lesion involvement of ulna. The patients were evaluated according to complaints, type and grade of tumor, treatment, recurrence and functional status.

RESULTS

The most common first referral complaint was constrictive pain in 52.1% of the cases, benign tumors and tumor like lesions of the bone constituted 73.9% whereas malignant bone tumors were 26.1%, 39.1% of the lesions were located in distal end of ulna and the mean follow up was 33.8 months (range 8-172 months). Local recurrence has unexpectedly occurred in 3 benign lesions (13.1%).

CONCLUSION

Benign bone lesions tend to involve distal and proximal ends, malign bone lesions involve diaphysis mostly. Both benign and malignant diaphyseal lesions of the ulna have better postoperative results regarding the lesions at both ends of ulna. One should also take care of recurrences even after a decade from the primary surgery.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV, Therapeutic study.

Can Multiple Hereditary Exostoses Overlap With Mesomelic Dysplasia?

Background

We studied an unusual combination of severe short stature, mesomelia (Leri-Weill dyschondrosteosis syndrome), and multiple exostosis in several family subjects over three generations. The pattern of inheritance was compatible with autosomal dominant.

Methods

Of 21 affected members over three generations, shortness of stature, associated with mesomelia resembling Leri-Weill dyschondrosteosis syndrome with no exostoses was evident in three family subjects. The rest of the family subjects manifested with normal height, and yet multiple exostoses. In this family, the skeletal manifestations were sufficiently variable for the presentation to be with either short stature or scoliosis, a Madelung’ deformity, or with severe hallux valgus associated with exostosis and with Leri-Weill dyschondrosteosis syndrome.

Results

Subjects with structural chromosomal aberrations of the proband IV-7, who manifested with normal height but with multiple exostoses were excluded via 20 CAG-banded mitoses (there were no microdeletions or microduplication after performing Array-CGH-analysis). In addition, DNA examination for subject IV-8 (male cousin of the proband showed short stature and Leri-Weill dyschondrosteosis syndrome) revealed no evidence of SHOX deletions.

Conclusion

We described a multigenerational non-consanguineous North African family , in which mesomelic dysplasia, whose clinical and radiological phenotypes resembled dyschondrosteosis, was a prominent feature in three family subjects. Multiple exostoses were evident in several other family subjects (most were with normal height). We would like to emphasize the variability in the phenotypic expression of multiple exostosis, especially the confusion that might arise when the condition appears both clinically and radiologically to be more complicated, and the overall picture might then be overlapped with one of the other bone dysplasias such as Leri-Weill dyschondrosteosis syndrome.

Chronic radial head dislocation caused by a rare solitary osteochondroma of the proximal radius in a child: a case report and review of the literature

Background

Osteochondroma is the most common benign bone tumor of the upper limbs that occurs during the developmental phase of children. Solitary epiphyseal enchondromas can be usually found in the humeral capitellum, and the proximal ulna of the elbow.

Case presentation

Herein, we report the case of a 12-year-old boy of Han ethnicity with a developmental radial head dislocation with a progressive radius deformities, caused by a solitary osteochondroma which originated from the proximal metaphysis of the radius. Obvious complaints and limitations were present. After tumor excision was performed, radial head reduction and deformity correction were achieved through a biplanar shortening osteotomy of the radius.

Conclusions

After a follow-up of 18 months, the child remained asymptomatic and regained a full range of motion. Radiographic study revealed satisfactory reduction of the radial head with no recurrence of the osteochondroma.

Management of forearm deformities with ulnar shortening more than 15 mm caused by hereditary multiple osteochondromas

BACKGROUND

Treatment for forearm deformities caused by hereditary multiple osteochondromas is still controversial. The purpose of the study was to describe the outcome of treatment with the combined use of ulnar lengthening and excision of osteochondromas.

METHODS

Fourteen patients with hereditary multiple osteochondromas had forearm deformities which belongs to type I Masada deformity. The mean relative ulnar shortening was 19.9 mm (range, 16-23). All patients ranging from 4 to 15 years old had operative treatment. Clinical evaluation involving the assessment of pain, activities of daily living, and range of motion of the wrist and forearm was performed. The radiographic evaluation was relative ulnar shortening (RUS), radial articular angle (RAA), carpal slip (CS), and radial bowing. Besides, we also evaluated the amount of ulnar lengthening, external fixation time, and external fixation index.

RESULTS

The mean EFT was 101 days (range, 84-133), and the mean external fixation index was 44.4 days/cm (range, 33.6-51.2). During the mean 43.1 months follow-up, four patients had mild pain and two patients had mild restriction of daily activities. The rotation of forearm and motion of wrist had increased except in Case 3. The RAA, CS, and radial bowing had been improved except in Case 6 and 7. In all patients, relative ulnar shortening had been corrected. According to the functional evaluation criteria recommended by Krimmer, there were ten excellent and four good.

CONCLUSIONS

The combined use of ulna lengthening and excision of osteochondromas is a proper and effective treatment method to the type I Masada deformity with the relative ulnar shortening more than 15 mm.

The management of congenital and acquired problems of the distal radioulnar joint in children

Pain in the ulnar aspect of the pediatric wrist is an uncommon problem; however, when pain does occur it is usually the result of antecedent bony trauma or an underlying skeletal abnormality, which may lead to ulnar-sided wrist pain of varying etiology. The clinician must to be able to identify these entities within the pediatric wrist in order to make the appropriate diagnosis and plan for surgical intervention to prevent ongoing damage to the distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ). This article reviews the etiology, clinical presentation, and treatment strategies for the management of the unique problems that can affect the pediatric and adolescent DRUJ.

Forearm rebalancing in osteochondromatosis by radioulnar fusion

Options for treatment of a skeletally immature child with forearm involvement from osteochondromatosis vary widely from natural history observation through ulnar distraction lengthening in combination radial and ulnar osteotomies. An important factor in surgical indications is the status of the radial head. In the presence of a radial head dislocation, particularly in a very young child, radioulnar diaphyseal fusion (single-bone forearm) is a viable surgical option. It restores axial alignment, corrects proximal and distal radioulnar joint dislocations by resection, maintains forearm growth through the distal radius, and provides a stable elbow with a restoration of motion in a single-stage procedure.

Disorders of the immature carpus

Carpal disorders in children are often associated with developmental abnormalities of structures surrounding the wrist. In addition, carpal ossification throughout childhood has unique influences on pediatric carpal injury. Because the immature carpus is composed of unossified cartilage, carpal abnormalities in young children are frequently undetectable on plain radiographs. Clinical suspicion of an abnormality may elicit further imaging with MRI, which can provide detailed information about cartilaginous structures.

En bloc resection of tumors of the distal end of the ulna

The operative treatment of malignant tumors and aggressive benign tumors involving the distal end of the ulna often necessitates en bloc resection. The oncological and functional results for eight patients in whom a neoplasm involving the distal end of the ulna had been treated with en bloc resection without reconstruction of the osseous defect were reviewed retrospectively at a mean of seventy-nine months (range, twenty-three to 271 months). Four patients had a giant-cell tumor; two, a low-grade osteogenic sarcoma; one, a hemangioendothelioma; and one, a soft-tissue epithelioid sarcoma with osseous involvement. The amount of bone that was removed from the distal end of the ulna ranged from 3.1 to 9.0 centimeters. In the four patients who had a malignant tumor, a minimum of 7.5 centimeters was removed in order to achieve an adequate wide margin proximally. In the patients who had a benign tumor, a maximum of 6.6 centimeters was resected. Extraperiosteal resection was performed in three of the patients who had a malignant tumor and in one of the patients who had an aggressive giant-cell tumor. Subperiosteal resection was performed in the three patients who had a benign tumor and in one patient who had a parosteal osteogenic sarcoma. None of the patients had local or systemic evidence of recurrence of the tumor. The functional result was excellent for six patients and good for two. Grip strength was reduced by a mean of 15 per cent compared with the strength on the contralateral side, and this reduction did not appear to be related directly to the amount of bone that had been resected. The findings of this study support the concept that routine reconstruction of the osseous defect is not necessary after en bloc resection of a neoplasm of the distal end of the ulna.