[Benign osteoblastoma in children. Apropos of 8 cases, 4 with spinal localization]

In a 20 year period the authors have seen 8 cases of osteoblastoma in patients less than 15 years old. Four were in the spine, three in the hand and one in the tibia. Three of the four limb osteoblastomas were lost to follow up after curettage, one of them after a recurrence. The fourth one was cured after 9 years. None of the spine lesions recurred after a follow up of from two to 14 years but two of them had a rigid kyphosis. It is concluded that osteoblastoma is normally benign in children. The pathological diagnosis may be difficult. In one the initial diagnosis had been of osteosarcoma. The treatment is based on complete excision. In the spine, it should be accompanied by arthrodesis.