About the disease
Osteochondroma is benign tumor of the bones. They can grow on the surface of the bones or they can form as bony projections, which are cartilage-capped. Overall, osteochondroma can form at any bone where cartilage is formed. Most commonly, osteochondroma develops in the leg and pelvic bones, usually the long legs bones are affected by this condition. Osteochondroma can also form in the shoulder blade, although more rarely.
Osteochondroma can develop in teenagers between the age of 13 and 15. This is the period of the most active skeletal growth of the person. Osteochondroma can develop only during the period when growth plate fuse, which happens exactly during the puberty period of teenagers.
In general, osteochondromas can be latent for many years, even decades. Some people are diagnosed with osteochondroma after the age of 30. It can be explained by the fact that osteochondroma grows very slowly and can be latent for a long period of time. Also, osteochondroma is benign and does not spread to other parts of the body. Usually it is localized in one place.
According to statics, osteochondroma accounts for 35% of all benign tumors. Approximately 3% of all population have osteochondroma, making this type of tumor very common. Osteochondroma also accounts for 8% of all bone tumors.
The exact cause of osteochondroma had not been determined yet. Only 15% of osteochondroma cases are caused by genetic predisposition. Other cases are caused by some unknown factors.
Symptoms
In most cases osteochondromas do not present any symptoms. They can manifest themselves if they change the bone structure or cause compression.
- Restricted motion in the affected bone
- Pain in the bone
- Stiffness
- Numbnes
- Weakness
- The color of affected part of the skin can change
- Soreness
- Pressure
- Irritation
Diagnosis
- During a general examination the doctor will ask the person about the location of the pain and will palpate the area where soreness is present..
- The doctor will rule out other conditions which could be causing similar symptoms, such as arthritis or arthrosis.
- Imaging tests, such as an X-ray, CT scan or MRI, can identify the tumor and show its size. These tests can also show if the tumor causes any compression.
- An ultrasound and angiography are used in some cases when the doctor wants to take a look at the blood vessels and see if everything functions normally.
Treatment
- Surgical resection is the surgery used to remove the tumor from the cartilage and restore normal functionality of the bone.
- After the surgery the person may need to wear the bandage for several weeks to restore the mobility of the bone.
You can find osteochondroma surgery cost in different healthcare facilities on the Booking Health website.
Authors: Dr. Vadim Zhiliuk, Dr. Sergey Pashchenko
