Treatment of benign bone tumours of the hand using osteoscopy.

Curettage and bone grafting are used traditionally to treat benign bone tumours of the hand. Some authors are proposing minimally invasive treatment using endoscopy. Our purpose is to standardise this technique based on a study of the number and locations of entry points. This is a report on three benign metacarpal bone tumours treated with three different endoscopic approaches: multiportal, extended uniportal and oblique uniportal. In theory, the multiportal approach has several drawbacks: weakening of the bone cortex, a limited visual field and seepage of injectable phosphocalcic cement. The extended uniportal approach causes cortical defects, unacceptable in a minimally invasive technique. The oblique uniportal approach seems less troublesome; vision of the bone cavity is good, curettage of the tumour is complete, the bone cortex is undamaged and there is no leakage of injectable phosphocalcic cement. All things considered, the oblique osteoscopic uniportal approach seems to be the best option for the management of benign bone tumours of the hand. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.