Recurrent aggressive chondrosarcoma of the middle phalanx of the index finger: excision and reconstruction with an osteocartilaginous allograft.
BACKGROUND
Chondrosarcomas are malignant tumours and need to be treated aggressively including ablative surgery. Bovée et al. and Mankin have recently drawn attention to a less aggressive behaviour of chondrosarcomas of the phalanges compared with those of other localizations including the metacarpals.


METHODS
An 12 year follow-up of a patient with a chondrosarcoma of the middle phalanx of the index finger is presented. The lesion was curetted initially, and a repeat curettage was performed 4 years later. Finally, 8 years later the phalanx was excised and reconstructed with an osteocartilaginous allograft. Histologically, the lesion changed from a chondrosarcoma grade I to grade II.


RESULTS
The patient continues to be free of recurrence and metastases 4 years after the final resection.


CONCLUSIONS
The potential for systemic disease of chondrosarcomas of the phalanges is probably much lower than in chondrosarcomas of other localizations, and therefore digit-sparing techniques may be considered rather than ablative procedures.
BALGRIST, Department of Orthopaedics, University of Zürich, Forchstrasse 340, 8008 Zürich, Switzerland. guexner@balgrist.unizh.ch
G Ulrich
GU
Exner
Charles E
CE
Dumont
Theodore I
TI
Malinin
Arthur R
AR
von Hochstetter
D016025:Bone Transplantation; D002356:Cartilage / Q000637:transplantation*; D002813:Chondrosarcoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D003475:Curettage; D005385:Fingers / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000601:surgery*; D011859:Radiography; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous