[Osteochondromas: introducing the subungual osteochondroma]

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Oncology
• Pediatric Pathology
• Dermatopathology

Background:

• Subungual osteochondromas are benign bone tumors occurring beneath or around the fingernail.
• These tumors can lead to nail lifting, ulceration, and significant deformity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the incidence of subungual osteochondromas within a pediatric patient cohort.
• To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of pediatric subungual osteochondromas.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective, transversal, descriptive, and observational study design.
• Review of histopathological records of osteochondromas diagnosed between 2001 and 2014.
• Inclusion criteria focused on subungual presentation in pediatric patients.

Main Results:

• Four cases of subungual osteochondromas were identified.
• Equal gender distribution (1:1 ratio) with an average patient age of 9.5 years.
• Predominance in the right hand (3:1 ratio) and most frequent occurrence in the 4th finger.

Conclusions:

• Subungual osteochondromas constitute 8.5% of all osteochondromas.
• Highlights the importance of considering subungual osteochondromas in pediatric differential diagnoses for nail deformities.