BACKGROUND: Soft tissue chondroma is a rare benign tumour, which is generally seen in adult. It consists of islands of heterotopic cartilaginous tissue and most localised on the hands and the feet. The hypothesis that microtrauma is involved in the aetiology of this condition has yet to find any factual support. AIM: To report two paediatric cases of soft tissue chondroma. CASES REPORT: The first is a soft tissue chondroma of the posterior aspect of the left axilla in a 3-year-old boy. CT scans showed a spherical fatty density soft tissue mass without evident calcifications, attaching the infraspinous muscle. The second patient is a 9-year-old girl presented with a right auricular finger soft tissue chondroma. Radiographs showed several punctuated calcifications with adjacent bone scalloping. MRI revealed a lobulated soft tissue mass attaching the flexor tendons. The tumours were entirely removed. Histological examination showed cartilaginous tissue in both cases. At follow-up, the patients had good functions without evidence of recurrence. CONCLUSION: Simple excision should suffice to treat soft tissue chondroma but care should be taken to make the excision complete if recurrence are to be avoided.
BACKGROUND:Soft tissue chondroma is a rare benign tumour, which is generally seen in adult. It consists of islands of heterotopic cartilaginous tissue and most localised on the hands and the feet. The hypothesis that microtrauma is involved in the aetiology of this condition has yet to find any factual support. AIM: To report two paediatric cases of soft tissue chondroma. CASES REPORT: The first is a soft tissue chondroma of the posterior aspect of the left axilla in a 3-year-old boy. CT scans showed a spherical fatty density soft tissue mass without evident calcifications, attaching the infraspinous muscle. The second patient is a 9-year-old girl presented with a right auricular finger soft tissue chondroma. Radiographs showed several punctuated calcifications with adjacent bone scalloping. MRI revealed a lobulated soft tissue mass attaching the flexor tendons. The tumours were entirely removed. Histological examination showed cartilaginous tissue in both cases. At follow-up, the patients had good functions without evidence of recurrence. CONCLUSION: Simple excision should suffice to treat soft tissue chondroma but care should be taken to make the excision complete if recurrence are to be avoided.