A Recurrent Solitary Exostosis of the Distal End of the Right Radius: A Case Report with a 17-Year Follow-Up

Solitary exostosis is a benign tumor usually encountered in children and adolescents. Its treatment is based on complete surgical excision which ensures complete healing. The resumption of a tumor process raises two questions: is it a recurrence or a malignant transformation into chondrosarcoma? We report a case of a resumption of the tumor process of solitary exostosis of the lower metaphysis of the right radius in a 33-year-old patient. This recurrence occurred 10 years after the first surgery and was accompanied by signs of compression of the median nerve and a major bone remodeling raising fears of malignant transformation. But histological examination performed during the excision confirmed the benignity of this lesion. The long-term follow-up examination of 17 years found a patient in a good general condition with a satisfactory local condition. The malignant transformation of solitary exostosis is an exceptional event. Thus, faced with a resumption of the tumor process after excision of solitary exostosis, the inadequacy of the first excision remains the first diagnostic hypothesis.