Treatment outcome of enchondroma by simple curettage without augmentation

Simple curettage for enchondroma without augmentation, known to lead to spontaneous bone consolidation at the curettage site, is a potential standard treatment for this condition. However, few detailed data comparing the results of this technique with conventional methods including reconstruction are available, and the relation between the postoperative completion period for bone consolidation and preoperative independent variables is not known.

The subjects included 38 patients with enchondroma treated with simple curettage without augmentation. A historical group of patients with enchondroma treated with hydroxyapatite reconstruction was enrolled as controls. Treatment outcomes, including perioperative complications (e.g., infection, functional loss, recurrence, postoperative fracture), were surveyed. Differences in the period needed for bone formation among the patient groups defined by various preoperative patient conditions were also analyzed.

The follow-up period ranged from 12 to 60 months (average 24.3 months). During the follow-up period, no surgery-related complications occurred. Bone formation was confirmed in all cases 3-20 weeks (average 6.5 weeks) postoperatively. Tumor size represented by two-dimensional measurements was significantly correlated with the bone formation period. Polycystic lesions required a prolonged postoperative bone formation period compared with monocystic lesions. The bone formation period did not significantly differ between the simple curettage group and the historical control group.

Simple curettage without augmentation proved to be a safe, promising modality for the treatment of small enchondromas in the hand and foot.