Two cases of asymptomatic rib exostosis treated by prophylactic surgical excision

Osteochondroma of the Rib: A Potentially Life-Threatening Benign Tumor

Osteochondroma is the most common benign bone tumor. It can be classified as isolated or multiple. While the majority of osteochondromas are asymptomatic and found incidentally, they can become symptomatic during adolescence or adulthood due to mechanical irritation, nerve compression, spinal cord compression, or vascular injury. In this article, we present a case of a 14-year-old patient who experienced spontaneous hemothorax caused by bleeding from a diaphragmatic laceration incurred by a costal exostosis on the right eighth rib. A preoperative chest CT scan revealed a bony projection from the rib and bloody effusion in the thoracic cavity, highlighting the possibility of bloody pleural effusion due to costal exostosis. It is important to note that costal osteochondromas are a rare cause of thoracic injury and can lead to laceration of the lung, diaphragm, and/or pericardium. Surgical intervention should be considered for symptomatic rib osteochondroma, and we advocate for prophylactic surgical removal of intrathoracic exostosis even in asymptomatic patients, in order to prevent potential complications.

Solitary osteochondroma of the rib: An unusual chest wall tumor in the pediatric age group

Pediatric chest wall tumors are unusual and can arise from bone structures or from adjacent soft tissues. Osteochondroma is a benign cartilaginous tumor arising from the metaphysis of bone; however, it is more common in extremity rather than in membranous bone. Although benign, osteochondroma of the rib may lead to fatal complications such as pneumothorax, hemothorax, fractures, and pleural or pericardial effusion. Therefore, some form of surgical management becomes necessary to treat these lesions. We present a case of 7-year-old female child with solitary osteochondroma of the rib. The tumor was surgically excised and the child is asymptomatic on follow-up.

Spontaneous pneumothorax in a 17-year-old male patient with multiple exostoses: A case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Multiple exostoses generally develop in the first decade of life. They most frequently arise from the distal femur, proximal tibia, fibula, and proximal humerus. Costal exostoses are rare, contributing to 1%–2% of all exostoses in hereditary multiple exostoses (HME). They are usually asymptomatic, but a few cases have resulted in severe thoracic injuries. Pneumothorax caused by costal exostoses is rare, with only 13 previously reported cases. We report a new case of pneumothorax caused by costal exostoses.

CASE SUMMARY

A 17-year-old male with HME underwent surgery for removal of exostoses around his right knee. Four months following the operation, he felt chest pain when he was playing the trumpet; however, he did not stop playing for a week. He was referred to our hospital with a chief complaint of chest pain. The computed tomography (CT) scan revealed right pneumothorax and multiple exostoses in his right ribs. The CT scan also revealed visceral pleura thickness and damaged lung tissues facing the exostosis of the seventh rib. We diagnosed that exostosis of the seventh rib induced pneumothorax. Costal exostosis resection was performed by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) 2 wk after the onset. The patient’s postoperative course was uneventful, and there was no recurrence of pneumothorax for 2 years.

CONCLUSION

Costal exostoses causing thoracic injuries should be resected regardless of age. VATS must be considered in cases with apparently benign and relatively small exostoses or HME.

A Rare Case of Pediatric Osteochondroma Presenting as Hemothorax

Isolated osteochondroma presenting as hemothorax is a rare entity. A 7-year-old boy presented with respiratory distress and diagnosed with hemothorax, and computed tomography showed osteochondroma and removal with resection of the rib was curative.