[Benign chondroblastoma. A review of 30 cases]

Thirty cases of chondroblastoma treated (between 1950 and 1986) at the Cochin-St-Vincent de Paul group of hospitals in Paris were reviewed. The most frequent sites (63 per cent) were the proximal epiphyses of the femur, humerus and tibia. The male predominance is clear (63 per cent) and the lesion was generally discovered in the second decade of life (66 per cent). Three cases of intra-articular invasion were noted, of which one involved a meniscus. The treatment was surgical in every case (two cases had adjuvant radiotherapy besides, because of an initial erroneous diagnosis of malignancy). Five recurrences were noted, of which only one involved the soft tissues. Curettage with bone grafting has to be preferred to simple biopsy curettage which leads to 33 per cent of recurrences as against 6 per cent. Histological association with areas of aneurysmal cysts is not a factor predisposing to recurrence. No progression to malignancy was noted. Apart from infection following a joint replacement, no other complications, resulting from surgical treatment were noted.