title: The causes of pain in benign solitary enchondromas of the proximal humerus.
abstract: Patients with benign solitary enchondromas of the proximal humerus frequently present to the diagnosing physician with shoulder pain. Once the lesion is considered benign, emphasis can be placed on identifying the etiology for the pain. We reviewed our experience with these patients to identify the cause of the presenting pain. A retrospective review of clinical records and radiographic studies (radiographs, magnetic resonance images, and bone scans) was done for all patients presenting to an orthopaedic oncology unit with solitary enchondroma of the proximal humerus. Attention was focused on diagnostic evidence of additional disease in the shoulder. Fifty-seven patients (mean age, 53.6 years) met the criteria of the study and were included for evaluation. Of patients presenting with pain, 82% (47 of 57 patients) had findings seen on magnetic resonance imaging scans that correlated with the initial clinical diagnostic impression, suggesting that other disease was present that could explain the pain. Solitary enchondromas of the proximal humerus often are found incidentally during the initial evaluation of patients with shoulder pain. This study showed that additional treatable disease usually is present in patients with enchondromas of the proximal humerus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33101, USA.
authors.forename: Jonathan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: H Thomas
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Temple
authors.forename: Allaaddin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mollabashy
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sanders
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kransdorf
mesh_terms: D000173:Acromioclavicular Joint / Q000473:pathology; D000465:Algorithms; D001706:Biopsy; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D002812:Chondroma / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006811:Humerus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017006:Rotator Cuff / Q000473:pathology; D019534:Shoulder Impingement Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D013669:Technetium Tc 99m Medronate; D052256:Tendinopathy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013669:Technetium Tc 99m Medronate