[Diagnosis and treatment of chondroblastoma--our experience]

The paper presented the results of diagnostics and treatment of patients with diagnosis of chondroblastoma, treated at the Institute of Orthopedic Surgery "Banjica", Belgrade. A total of 30 patients were analyzed, involving the period from 1975-2004. All important data were obtained using the complete medical documentation, physical examination, radiographic findings and available additional diagnostic procedures. The proximal part of tibia, the proximal part of humerus and the distal part of femur were the most common sites of tumor, accounting for 63% of cases. Higher incidence of chondroblastoma was found in male patients, especially in the second decade of life. Pathohistological tumor verification was done in all patients. The patients were then treated by different surgical procedures, both on account of primary lesion and recurrence. Curettage and osteoplasty using the auto- and homograft were carried out in 21 patients, wide resection in nine cases, and amputation was performed in three cases. One patient had radiotherapy due to recurrence of lesion, nevertheless malignant transformation of chondroblastoma occurred in time. Seven patients manifested local recurrence, and one of them even had relapse on two occasions and malignant transformation of chondroblastoma. Malignant lesions were found in three cases (10% of patients); one lesion was diagnosed as primary while other two malignancies were detected only after recurrence, and the treatment was completed by lower leg amputation.