Vanishing Osteochondromas of the Distal Femur and Proximal Humerus: A Two-Case Report.
This two-case report describes spontaneous radiographic regression of solitary distal femoral and proximal humeral osteochondromas in adolescents managed conservatively without surgery.
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This two-case report describes spontaneous radiographic regression of solitary distal femoral and proximal humeral osteochondromas in adolescents managed conservatively without surgery.
Research significance
The reported cases support the observation that some asymptomatic solitary osteochondromas can regress during adolescence; as an inference requiring validation in larger longitudinal cohorts, structured surveillance may help selected patients avoid unnecessary surgery when concerning clinical or radiological features are absent.
Source abstract
INTRODUCTION: Osteochondroma is the most common benign bone tumor, typically presenting during adolescence as a painless bony prominence. Although conservative management is commonly adopted for asymptomatic lesions, spontaneous regression of osteochondromas is considered rare and is sparsely reported in the literature. CASE REPORT: We report two cases of solitary osteochondromas demonstrating spontaneous regression without surgical intervention. The first case involved a 14-year-old female with a distal femoral osteochondroma, and the second involved a 16-year-old male with a proximal humeral osteochondroma. Both patients were managed conservatively with clinical and radiological follow-up, which showed progressive reduction and eventual regression of the lesions over time, with no development of alarming clinical or radiological features. CONCLUSION: These cases highlight the potential for spontaneous regression of solitary osteochondromas in the pediatric and adolescent population. In the absence of concerning symptoms or radiological signs, conservative management with regular follow-up may be a safe and appropriate approach, helping to avoid unnecessary surgical intervention.