Surgical treatment of osteoid osteoma in an adolescent

The literature is complete in its review of osteoid osteoma and benign bone-forming tumors. When present in a child, the clinical and radiographic picture is not that clear and often is missed diagnosed. Routine radiographs may not offer a complete diagnosis in this young patient and additional studies are indicated. Tomograms and computerized tomographic (CT) scans, as well as bone scans, provide more information in determining the presence of absence of a bone lesion in the child. A case is presented of an 8-year-old female with pain for over 10 months, eventually diagnosed as an osteoid osteoma. A surgical procedure was performed to excise the lesion and replace it with a corticocancellous bone graft. The child has been followed for the past 5 years and has remained asymptomatic.