Arthroscopic removal of juxtaarticular osteoid osteoma of the elbow

Abstract

A case of a 42-year-old male patient with symptomatic juxtaarticular osteoid osteoma of the capitulum humeri is presented. After the clinical diagnosis was confirmed with plain radiographs, bone scan, computer tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, the patient underwent arthroscopic removal of the lesion. A partial synoviectomy was performed first and then the center of the lesion was marked with Kirschner wire using the X-ray monitoring. The marked lesion was transarticularly removed with a motorized shaver device. Post-operatively, the patient reported prompt relief of pain that had not reoccurred during 1 year of follow up. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of the arthroscopic removal of juxtaarticular osteoid osteoma of the humeral capitulum which promises to be an effective and less invasive alternative to the existing treatment options.