Treatment of enchondromas of the hand with allograft bone.

We investigated whether cortico-cancellous allograft obtained from cadaveric banked bone is effective in the treatment of enchondroma of the hand. Twelve patients had 15 operations on 19 enchondromas using allograft bone. These patients were compared with 16 patients with enchondroma treated with autogenous iliac cancellous bone. The distribution of tumors was similar in both groups. There was no significant difference in the patient's age, their occupations, or whether the operation involved the dominant hand. In both groups, immobilization was maintained until clinical union was obtained. The duration of immobilization for both groups was identical. There were no recurrences, refractures, or complications in patients treated with allograft bone. The grafts incorporated and remodeled in all patients. We concluded that a allograft cortico-cancellous bone can be used effectively in the treatment of enchondromas of the hand. It is especially useful in the treatment of patients with multiple tumors.