Case report: primary aneurysmal bone cyst of the epiphysis

Aneurysmal bone cysts are benign active or aggressive bone tumors that commonly arise in the long bones, especially the femur, tibia, and humerus and the posterior elements of the spine. Aneurysmal bone cysts affect all age groups but are more common before skeletal maturity (first two decades of life). They usually involve the metaphysis or metadiaphyseal region of long bones. Although juxtaphyseal lesions abutting the growth plate and extending into the epiphysis have been described, there is no report of an aneurysmal bone cyst entirely and primarily located in the epiphysis. We report on a 3-year-old boy who presented with an entirely contained aneurysmal bone cyst to the proximal tibial epiphysis. We discuss the clinical presentation, diagnosis, including imaging and pathology, and treatment. A review of the pertinent literature also is presented.