Osteoid osteoma of the distal thumb phalanx: a case report

Osteoid osteomas of the hand are uncommon. Particularly, location in the thumb and involvement of the distal phalanx are very rarely reported. Long diagnostic delay and inadequate treatment are typical, since clinical features may mimic other causes more frequently found in the same site (post-traumatic, infective, rheumatic, neoplastic conditions, regional pain syndrome) and even the nail morphology may be altered, as in the reported case (watch-glass deformity). A case of an osteoid osteoma of the distal thumb phalanx in a 27-year-old man is presented, along with its clinical, radiographic and CT findings. In the Authors' opinion, curettage should be considered the treatment of choice.