Solitary osteochondroma of the capitate, in a child

Osteochondromas, are the most common tumors of the long bones in children. Osteochondromas are extremely rare in the carpal bones. They are diagnosed in adult life, in almost all cases in the literature. We report a 7 year old boy, who presented with a hard mass on the dorsum of his hand, with decreased wrist movements. Radiological examination showed a calcified tumor of the second row of the carpal bones, with spherical shape and covered with cartilage. He was surgically treated with removal of a cartilaginous mass that was arising from the capitate. Pathology confirmed the diagnosis of an osteochondroma.