Fibro-osseous pseudotumour of the digit—a diagnostic challenge. Issue 5 (1st June 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rela, Mariam; Bantick, Giles
• Is Part Of: Journal of surgical case reports. Volume 2020:Issue 5(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-06-01
• Subjects: Benign bone tumours -- fibro-osseous pseudotumour -- diagnosis of bone tumours -- hand infection -- diagnostic challenge; Surgery -- Periodicals; Surgery -- Case studies -- Periodicals; 617.005
• DOI: 10.1093/jscr/rjaa125
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2042-8812

Abstract

Abstract: A 60-year-old right-hand dominant woman presented to the emergency department with a 3-week history of pain and swelling in her right thumb. The X-ray showed evidence of erosion at the tip of the distal phalanx. Her initial management included surgical debridement with bone biopsies and intravenous antibiotics. The initial working diagnosis was a soft tissue infection of the thumb tip, causing osteomyelitis of the distal phalanx. The X-ray findings also raised the suspicion of a possible bone tumour. She was treated as having osteomyelitis and attended ambulatory care for daily intravenous antibiotics for 2 weeks. Initial histology was reported as a spindle cell tumour; however, following discussion at the sarcoma MDT, a diagnosis of a fibro-osseous pseudotumour of the digit was made. This is a benign lesion that was managed non-operatively in this patient. This case emphasises the importance of considering all differential diagnoses, even in a common presentation.