Pediatric parosteal osteosarcoma of the distal radius causing extensive erosive mass effect of the adjacent ulna: a case report

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Parosteal osteosarcomas are low-grade bony malignancies that are treated primarily with surgical resection and reconstruction. This report discusses a unique case of a pediatric patient who presented with a parosteal osteosarcoma of the distal radius causing extensive erosive mass effect and growth disturbance of the adjacent ulna. Likely due to their slow-growing nonaggressive nature, parosteal osteosarcomas have not been previously described to abut adjacent bony structures through direct contact. The patient presented in a significantly delayed manner due to social circumstances, inadvertently revealing this novel behavior. This report reviews this rare case and describes the current understanding of this tumor. Case presentation The patient is a 13-year-old male who presented with a parosteal osteosarcoma of his distal radius. He presented with a palpable wrist mass and wrist stiffness. He presented in a delayed manner with advanced local disease due to social factors. Imaging revealed an osseous radial mass that abutted the ulna and likely stunted its growth. The patient ultimately underwent complex resection and allograft reconstruction of both his distal radius and ulna. Intraoperative pathology was confirmed to have negative tumor margins. Allograft reconstruction of the radius and ulna was performed utilizing patient-specific custom cutting guides. At the 6-month postoperative visit, the patient had no recurrence of the mass, minimal pain, and had almost regained range of motion of the extremities. Clinical radiographs at the 6-month postoperative visit demonstrated allograft incorporation. Conclusions A previously unreported case of pediatric parosteal osteosarcoma of the distal radius with erosion of the adjacent ulna through direct contact is presented. The challenges in and the importance of arriving at a definitive diagnosis in a timely manner for the proper treatment of this malignancy are emphasized.