CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Rev Bras Ortop (Sao Paulo) 2019; 54(02): 210-213
DOI: 10.1016/j.rboe.2017.11.001
Case Report | Relato de Caso
Sociedade Brasileira de Ortopedia e Traumatologia. Published by Thieme Revnter Publicações Ltda Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Limb Length Discrepancy on an 11-Month-Old Boy with Osteoid Osteoma[*]

Article in several languages: português | English
Ana Cotta
1   Departamento de Patologia, Rede SARAH de Hospitais de Reabilitação, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
,
Renato Cesar Rezende de Castro
2   Departamento de Cirurgia e Ortopedia, Rede SARAH de Hospitais de Reabilitação, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
,
Julia Filardi Paim
1   Departamento de Patologia, Rede SARAH de Hospitais de Reabilitação, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
,
Leonardo Sardenberg Fiuza
2   Departamento de Cirurgia e Ortopedia, Rede SARAH de Hospitais de Reabilitação, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
,
Maria Henriqueta Freire Lyra
3   Departamento de Radiologia, Rede SARAH de Hospitais de Reabilitação, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Address for correspondence

Ana Cotta
Departamento de Patologia, Rede SARAH de Hospitais de Reabilitação
Belo Horizonte, MG
Brasil   

Publication History

21 July 2017

27 July 2017

Publication Date:
22 April 2019 (online)

 

Abstract

Osteoid osteoma is a benign bone tumor that frequently occurs between the ages of 10 and 25 years old; in about 80% of the patients, it is associated with intense pain. The present article describes the case of an 11-month-old infant with claudication, right lower limb shortening, and painless right leg volume increase. Image studies demonstrated an osteolytic lesion with small ossifications within, involved by cortical thickening of the right tibial diaphysis. The diagnostic hypotheses were osteoid osteoma, chronic osteomyelitis (Brodie abscess), Ewing sarcoma, and Langerhans cell histiocytosis. Microorganism cultures were negative and the histopathological exam demonstrated osteoid osteoma. The present report expands the knowledge on osteoid osteoma as a cause of painless limping and lower limb shortening in infancy. The early differential diagnosis is important, as surgical excision is curative and prevents further complications.


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Introduction

Osteoid osteoma is a benign bone tumor, smaller than 2 cm diameter, constituted by osteoid bone microtrabeculae and circumscribed by sclerotic bone tissue.[1] [2] [3] Image studies demonstrate a radiolucent nidus circumscribed by cortical sclerosis, that by may contain an ossified center with an aspect of a target. Computed tomography is considered the best method for diagnosis and it must be performed using 1 mm thick intervals.[2]

Clinically, osteoid osteoma presents disproportionate pain, that initially occurs intermittently at night, generally responsive to non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs in 80% of the patients.[2]

Osteoid osteoma is more prevalent between 10 and 25 years old, but rarely it may occur from seven months old until 70 years old.[4] [5] The most common sites are long bone diaphysis and metaphysis, specially femur and tibia.[4]


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Case Report

A 14 months old boy was admitted on our service. He had started gait at 11 months old, with right limping since gait acquisition and right leg volume increase. There was no history of fever, local trauma, falls, inflammatory signs, joint movements restriction or contralateral involvement.

In another service, he had been submitted to roentgenogram of the right leg, with the visualization of a lesion in the right tibial proximal third. He had received a diagnosis of fracture. He had received a prescription of physical therapy that was performed for two months (12 and 13 months old) without any improvement.

After admission in this service, at 14 months old, he was submitted to scanometry and computed tomography. Scanometry demonstrated a 6 mm right lower limb shortening: 14.2 cm right tibia, 14.8 cm left tibia, 16.4 right femur, 16.4 left femur, 30.6 right lower limb, and 31.2 left lower limb ([Fig. 1]). Right leg computed tomography demonstrated an extensive medium and proximal third right tibia cortical thickening, with a small 1.6 × 0.7 cm radiolucent area in the tibial medial third with small ossifications within ([Fig. 2]).

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Fig. 1 Osteolytic lesion with sclerosis and calcifications in the right tibia; a, roentgenogram AP; b, profile, c, magnification; d, scanometry; e, coronal oblique reformation.
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Fig. 2 Right tibia osteolytic lesion (a) with calcifications (b) and slight soft tissue heterogeneity (c). Biopsy site determination with surgical wire (d) (a, b, c, d: axial computed tomography).

Laboratorial exams demonstrated normal erythrocyte sedimentation rate 10 mm in the first hour (reference below 2), C reactive protein below 3.1 mg/L (reference below 3.5), negative sickle cells test, slight microcytosis and no leukocytosis.

Diagnostic hypotheses were tibial cortical osteoid osteoma, chronic osteomyelitis (Brodie's abscess), Ewing sarcoma and Langerhans cell histiocytosis (eosinophilic granuloma).

Due to the differential diagnosis of chronic osteomyelitis, the patient was submitted to scopy guided open bone biopsy, after the incision site was marked with computed tomography ([Fig. 2]). Samples were collected for microorganisms cultures and histopathological exam. The cultures were negative for microorganisms. The histopathological exam demonstrated a benign bone lesion, characterized by a central nidus, formed by osteoid immature tissue trabeculae, partially mineralized, admixed with richly vascularized soft connective tissue and involved externally by sclerotic bone ([Fig. 3]).

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Fig. 3 Osteoid tissue microtrabeculae and vascularized soft tissue. a, HE 100×; b, HE 200×.

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Discussion

On a recent study of 31 patients, lower limb shortening was caused by fracture sequelae, hip development dysplasia, infantile paralysis, infection sequelae, and congenital short femur.[6] Among these causes, pathological fractures below the age of five years may be associated with osteomyelitis, Langerhans cell histiocytosis, congenital tibial pseudoarthrosis, long immobilization, radiotherapy, metastasis, and Ewing sarcoma.[7]

Osteoarticular infections are frequent in children, with an estimated incidence of 10–25 per 100,000 children, with the possibility of deformities.[8] There are reports of osteomyelitis mimicking osteoid osteoma.[9] The patient did not present any systemic signs of infection and the microorganisms cultures were negative.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis occurs in patients below 30 years of age in 80% of the cases. There is pain, local volume increase and well demarcated osteolytic lesions with thick periosteal bone neoformation. Below the age of two years, there may be visceral disseminated disease with high mortality risk.[2] The histopathological exam of this patient did not demonstrate neither Langerhans cells nor eosinophilic proliferation.

Ewing sarcoma is a bone tumor formed by round blue cells and EWSR1 gene fusions in chromosome 22. It occurs in patients below 20 years of age in more than 80% of the cases with a higher incidence in the second decade of life. It occurs preferentially on the long bone diaphyseal of metadiaphyseal regions. Pain is usually pronounced in 96% of the patients. Intermittent fever and anemia may be observed in 21% of the patients. Image studies demonstrate a poorly defined osteolytic lesion with “moth eaten” pattern, associated with onion skin periosteal reaction. In some cases, it may present sclerosis in long bone diaphyseal lesions.[2] The histopathological examination of this patient did not demonstrated round blue cell proliferation.

The histopathological examination of this patient biopsy demonstrated typical osteoid osteoma abnormalities, that usually are not seen in infants and are usually followed by pain. A Pubmed/Medline search for indexed articles with the keywords “osteoid osteoma” and “limb shortening” did not find any publications of osteoid osteoma as a cause of limb shortening. This suggests that this tumor may only rarely be the etiological cause of limb shortening.

This report considerably expands the knowledge of osteoid osteoma as it demonstrates that osteoid osteoma may occur in infancy, and it may cause limping, and painless lower limb discrepancy. The correct diagnosis is fundamental as surgical treatment is curative and it prevents further complications.


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Conflitos de interesses

Os autores declaram não haver conflitos de interesses.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Cleides Campos de Oliveira and Simone Ferreira do Nascimento for histological technical assistance.

* Study conducted at Rede SARAH de Hospitais de Reabilitação, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. Published originally by Elsevier Ltda.


  • References

  • 1 Dahlin DC, Unni KK. Bone tumors: general aspects and data on 8 542 cases. 4th ed. Springfield, IL: Thomas; 1987
  • 2 Fletcher CD, Bridge JA, Hogendoorn PCW, Mertens F. , eds. World Health Organization (WHO) classification of tumours of soft tissue and bone. 4th ed. Lyon, France: IARC Press; 2013
  • 3 Endo RR, Gama NF, Nakagawa SA, Tyng CJ, Chung WT, Pinto FFE. Osteoid osteoma - radiofrequency ablation treatment guided by computed tomography: a case series. Rev Bras Ortop 2017; 52 (03) 337-343
  • 4 Cotta AC, Melo RT, Castro RC, Souza FS, Najjar YSJ, Paim JFO. , et al. Diagnostic difficulties in osteoid osteoma of the elbow: clinical, radiological and histopathological study. Radiol Bras 2012; 45 (01) 13-19
  • 5 Virayavanich W, Singh R, O'Donnell RJ, Horvai AE, Goldsby RE, Link TM. Osteoid osteoma of the femur in a 7-month-old infant treated with radiofrequency ablation. Skeletal Radiol 2010; 39 (11) 1145-1149
  • 6 Fernandes HP, Barronovo DG, Rodrigues FL, Hono M. Femur lengthening with monoplanar external fixator associated with locked intramedullary nail. Rev Bras Ortop 2016; 52 (01) 82-86
  • 7 Canavese F, Samba A, Rousset M. Pathological fractures in children: Diagnosis and treatment options. Orthop Traumatol Surg Res 2016; 102 (1, Suppl): S149-S159
  • 8 Ilharreborde B. Sequelae of pediatric osteoarticular infection. Orthop Traumatol Surg Res 2015; 101 (1, Suppl): S129-S137
  • 9 Agrawal P, Sobti A. A Brodie's abscess of femoral neck mimicking osteoid osteoma: diagnostic approach and management strategy. Ethiop J Health Sci 2016; 26 (01) 81-84

Address for correspondence

Ana Cotta
Departamento de Patologia, Rede SARAH de Hospitais de Reabilitação
Belo Horizonte, MG
Brasil   

  • References

  • 1 Dahlin DC, Unni KK. Bone tumors: general aspects and data on 8 542 cases. 4th ed. Springfield, IL: Thomas; 1987
  • 2 Fletcher CD, Bridge JA, Hogendoorn PCW, Mertens F. , eds. World Health Organization (WHO) classification of tumours of soft tissue and bone. 4th ed. Lyon, France: IARC Press; 2013
  • 3 Endo RR, Gama NF, Nakagawa SA, Tyng CJ, Chung WT, Pinto FFE. Osteoid osteoma - radiofrequency ablation treatment guided by computed tomography: a case series. Rev Bras Ortop 2017; 52 (03) 337-343
  • 4 Cotta AC, Melo RT, Castro RC, Souza FS, Najjar YSJ, Paim JFO. , et al. Diagnostic difficulties in osteoid osteoma of the elbow: clinical, radiological and histopathological study. Radiol Bras 2012; 45 (01) 13-19
  • 5 Virayavanich W, Singh R, O'Donnell RJ, Horvai AE, Goldsby RE, Link TM. Osteoid osteoma of the femur in a 7-month-old infant treated with radiofrequency ablation. Skeletal Radiol 2010; 39 (11) 1145-1149
  • 6 Fernandes HP, Barronovo DG, Rodrigues FL, Hono M. Femur lengthening with monoplanar external fixator associated with locked intramedullary nail. Rev Bras Ortop 2016; 52 (01) 82-86
  • 7 Canavese F, Samba A, Rousset M. Pathological fractures in children: Diagnosis and treatment options. Orthop Traumatol Surg Res 2016; 102 (1, Suppl): S149-S159
  • 8 Ilharreborde B. Sequelae of pediatric osteoarticular infection. Orthop Traumatol Surg Res 2015; 101 (1, Suppl): S129-S137
  • 9 Agrawal P, Sobti A. A Brodie's abscess of femoral neck mimicking osteoid osteoma: diagnostic approach and management strategy. Ethiop J Health Sci 2016; 26 (01) 81-84

Zoom Image
Fig. 1 Lesão osteolítica com esclerose e calcificações na tíbia direita; a, radiografia anteroposterior; b, perfil, c, ampliação; d, escanometria; e, reformatação oblíqua coronal.
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Fig. 2 Lesão osteolítica da tíbia direita (a) com calcificações (b) e leve heterogeneidade de partes moles (c). Determinação do local de biópsia com fio cirúrgico (d) (a, b, c, d: tomografia computadorizada axial).
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Fig. 3 Microtrabéculas de tecido osteoide e tecido mole vascularizado. a, 100×; b, hematoxilina-eosina, 200×.
Zoom Image
Fig. 1 Osteolytic lesion with sclerosis and calcifications in the right tibia; a, roentgenogram AP; b, profile, c, magnification; d, scanometry; e, coronal oblique reformation.
Zoom Image
Fig. 2 Right tibia osteolytic lesion (a) with calcifications (b) and slight soft tissue heterogeneity (c). Biopsy site determination with surgical wire (d) (a, b, c, d: axial computed tomography).
Zoom Image
Fig. 3 Osteoid tissue microtrabeculae and vascularized soft tissue. a, HE 100×; b, HE 200×.