Multiple rib exostoses in a boy: a rare case resulting in surgery secondary to cosmetic concerns.

A seven year-old boy with several painless masses on the ribs and shoulder was referred to our hospital. The masses were so prominent that they prevented the child's sleep. Since the patient had been ridiculed by his friends due to the rib prominences, he had refused to attend school. After clinical and radiological evaluations, the masses were diagnosed as hereditary multiple exostoses of the shoulder and ribs. He underwent surgery for cosmetic reasons resulting in the patient's return to a normal life.