Transcanal Excision of Exostoses: Large Series Comparing Bone Removal Methods.

OBJECTIVE: External auditory exostosis (EAE) is a condition of progressive temporal bone growth into the external auditory canal most commonly from repeat cold water and wind exposure. Several tools have been utilized for EAE excision with varying implications for intra- and postoperative complications. However, comparisons of osteotome and microdrill are made difficult due to the few published cases and intervariability between surgeons. Furthermore, evidence is needed to analyze the safety of novel supplemental tools such as the piezoelectric bone-cutting device. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. SETTING: Medical clinic and surgery center. METHODS: A total of 413 subjects representing 472 ears met the inclusion criteria. Of which 159 ears were operated on using osteotome alone (OA), 271 using osteotome with a drill (OD), and 42 with osteotome with piezoelectric (OP). Charts were analyzed for the most reported intraoperative complications and postoperative symptoms and complications. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the rate of tympanic membrane perforations nor in total intraoperative complications between OA, OD, or OP. The OD group contained the only nonperforation intraoperative event. OA had the lowest or near lowest incidence of all symptoms analyzed. OA showed a significantly lower incidence of tinnitus when compared to OD and OP. CONCLUSION: We found that OA performed the best, though not statistically significant in most measures, with regard to mitigating rates of complications postsurgery. Our findings suggest OA provides lower risk intraoperatively and postoperatively for patients undergoing transcanal exostosis excision.

Complication Rates in Osteotome and Drill Techniques in External Auditory Canal Exostoses: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To assess and compare complication rates of symptomatic external auditory canal (EAC) exostoses treated with drill versus osteotome canalplasty. DATABASES REVIEWED: PubMed/Medline, OVID, EMBASE, Web of Science, Google Scholar. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis in accordance with PRISMA guidelines and standardized bias assessment using the JBI critical appraisal checklist was performed. Studies containing original outcome data on drill and osteotome canalplasty were included. The primary study outcome was complication rates. RESULTS: Fifteen studies were included, encompassing 1399 total patients (1788 ears) with 530 and 1258 ears in the osteotome and drill groups, respectively. Ten studies used a drill, 2 used an osteotome, and 3 used both. The most frequently reported complications were tympanic membrane (TM) perforation (osteotome group: 5.3% [95% CI: 1.7%-10.9%]; drill group: 3.8% [1.5%-7.1%]), sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) (0.69% [0.07%-1.9%]; 4.3% [2.2%-7.0%]), and postoperative stenosis (1.1% [0.0005%-4.3%]; 4.1% [1.9%-7.0%]). Use of the osteotome was associated with a lower rate of SNHL (P < .05) and stenosis (P < .05), and a higher rate of TM perforation (P < .05). Heterogeneity of the studies included in the analyzed complications ranged from moderate to high. Level of evidence in the included studies ranged from 2b to 4 and all studies had an overall low risk of bias. CONCLUSION: While an osteotome technique may increase the risk of TM perforation, drill canaloplasty may increase the risk of SNHL and postoperative stenosis in EAC exostectomy. The exact quantity of hearing loss could not be definitively evaluated. Additional research with participant randomization is needed to assess clinical efficacy. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 8.

Excisional Debridement for Chronic Achilles Insertional Tendinosis: A Novel Technique and Case Review.

BACKGROUND: Operative treatment of chronic Achilles insertional tendinosis (AIT) involves tendon debridement, removal of the retrocalcaneal bursitis, and excision of the calcaneal exostosis, often followed by repair of the Achilles tendon and deep tendon transfer. The literature describes a variety of techniques without a single standard of care. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of 57 patients treated with an excisional debridement of the central portion of the Achilles tendon. The novelty of this technique is that instead of complete detachment of the tendon from its insertion, only the central portion is debrided and excised. This allows for enhanced visibility of the calcaneal exostosis and increased healing with apposition of viable tendon during side-to-side repair. RESULTS: Patient-reported outcome scores and pain significantly improved from preoperatively to a minimum of 2 years postoperatively. Complications were similar to those previously reported, with superficial wound breakdown being the most common. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the use of this reliable, reproducible, and effective technique for the treatment of patients with chronic AIT is encouraged because it provides both enhanced visibility and allows complete resection of all pathological tissue. LEVELS OF EVIDENCE: Level IV: Retrospective case series.

Chronic Rupture of Achilles Tendon Caused by Haglund's Deformity: A Case Report.

A chronic Achilles tendon rupture is a tendon rupture occurring more than 4-6 weeks after a traumatic injury. Haglund's deformity, caused by bony abnormalities in the ankle (mostly due to osteophyte or bone spur), can cause chronic inflammation and degeneration of the Achilles tendon, eventually leading to rupture. This presents a challenge for clinicians who provide tendon repair procedures. We present a 69-year-old woman who had difficulty moving her left leg and had a deformity on the left leg compared to her right leg after falling nine months before but with pain starting three months before the accident. There was a seven-centimeter gap in the calcaneus with a positive Thompson test. The Haglund's deformity on the left calcaneus was visible on the ankle X-ray. The patient had a chronic total rupture of the left Achilles tendon, which was treated with a flexor hallucis longus (FHL) tendon transfer and resection of the deformity. One week after surgery, the patient's ability to walk and the shape of the left leg improved. This case report describes a chronic left Achilles tendon condition that was successfully repaired through tendon repair surgery using FHL tendon transfer and removal of Haglund's deformity.

Subungual Exostosis of the Hand: A Case Report in a 5-Year-Old Boy and Literature Review.

Subungual exostosis is a relatively uncommon benign tumor that occurs at the distal end of the distal phalanx of the toes and rarely the hands. We present in this article a review of the currently published English literature and provide a case report of a 5 year old male with subungual exostosis of the thumb. A 5 year old male presented with a slow growing mass of the distal dorsal aspect of the left thumb. Radiographs showed dorsal calcifications on the thumb. Surgical removal of the mass and histopathological analysis was performed supporting a diagnosis of subungual exostosis. Post-operatively, the patient had complete excision of the mass, normal nail morphology, no reoccurrence, and no post-surgical complications. Subungual exostosis remains a rare entity especially in the upper extremity. Its cause is not fully understood, nor is there an agreed upon method of treatment. However, with careful dissection during surgical removal good outcomes can be obtained. To our knowledge, this is the largest literature review on subungual exostosis and our case report is an uncommon presentation in the youngest reported male patient. It is our hope that this literature review and case report lend to increased awareness of subungual exostosis and how to diagnose and treat this lesion.

[Subungual exoxtosis: case report and literature review]. / Exostose sous-unguéale: à propos d'un cas et revue de la littérature.

Subungual exostosis is a benign, uncommon osteocartilaginous tumour that tends to recur. We here report the case of a 17-year boy with subungual exostosis, who reported a history of trauma. Treatment was based on direct surgery. The tumor was completely excised. The postoperative course was uneventful, with no recurrence identified.

Haglund's Deformity as a Cause of Acute Achilles Tendon Rupture: A Case Report.

Achilles tendon rupture is a common problem affecting both high level and casual athletes. Haglund´s deformity is an abnormality of the postero-superior part of the calcaneus, which often leads to retro-calcaneal bursitis as well as thickening and inflammation of the calcaneal tendon, a combination of pathologies known as Haglund's syndrome. We report a rare case of a relapse Achilles tendon rupture in a 39-year-old professional handball player with a pronounced painful Haglund´s deformity treated with tendon debridement and reattachment using the Arthrex Speedbridge® system. This case report illustrates a rarely described operative and post-operative management of this unusual combination of Achilles tendon rupture and Haglund´s deformity.

External auditory canal exostoses: long-term surgical satisfaction and its relationship with surgical complications.

OBJECTIVE: The main purpose of the present study was to evaluate whether complications related to surgery for exostoses are associated with a decrease in patients' quality of life. METHODS: This was a retrospective study for which the following information was collected: sex, age, pre- and post-operative symptoms, pre- and post-operative audiological evaluation results, surgical approach, instruments used, complications, and Glasgow Benefit Inventory score. RESULTS: The study included 67 patients (94 ears). The three main complaints reported were wax retention, otitis externa and hearing loss. Surgical complications occurred in 14.9 per cent of patients. Patients experienced a significant benefit from surgery, especially in relation to somatic state, with a global Glasgow Benefit Inventory score of + 44.3. No significant difference was found between the global Glasgow Benefit Inventory changes and surgery-related complications (p = 0.093). CONCLUSION: After surgery for exostoses, the vast majority of patients showed improvement. Complications related to surgery in general do not seem to influence patients' satisfaction with surgery.

Retrocalcaneal Enthesophyte Resection With Functional Lengthening of the Achilles Tendon and Buried Knot Technique: A Case Series.

Retrocalcaneal exostosis can be debilitating and in severe cases, surgical resection is indicated. Complications can arise from surgical resection of the exostosis and reattachment of the Achilles tendon, including irritation of the suture knot, recurrence of the bony prominence, and dehiscence. The use of a buried knot technique with functional lengthening of the Achilles tendon and gastroc-soleal muscle complex can minimize these complications. Complete detachment of the Achilles tendon allows for aggressive and thorough resection of the exostosis and functional lengthening with reattachment. The buried cruciate knot technique allows for firm reattachment with buried knots to prevent soft tissue irritation. A total of fourteen patients (14 limbs) underwent retrocalcaneal enthesophyte resection with functional Achilles tendon lengthening, (8/14) of which had difficultly wearing shoe gear, (10/14) had edema, and (2/14) had erythema preoperatively. Postoperatively, (11/14) of patients returned to full activities and sports, and (11/14) returned to normal shoe gear. Complications included (1/14) of patients with Achilles tendon avulsion and (3/14) of patients with surgical site dehiscence requiring revisional surgery. Overall, this technique helps prevent short-term complications and long-term recurrence due to the functional lengthening mitigating insertional forces on the Achilles tendon.

Development of Bone Exostosis Following the Use of a Free Gingival Graft: A 30-Year Case Report and Literature Review.

Bone exostosis is defined as a benign overgrowth of bone tissue of unclear origin. Rarely, bone exostosis might develop following soft tissue graft procedures like mucogingival surgical interventions (eg, FGG or subepithelial CTG). This aberration has been mainly associated with surgical trauma or fenestration of the periosteum but is still a matter of debate. The present paper (1) presents a clinical case with clinical, radiographic, and histologic findings at 30 years following application of an FGG to increase the gingival width and (2) provides a short literature review on this particular clinical condition. At the clinical examination, the FGG was firm to palpation, and the 3D images showed an area of increased radiopacity. Histologic analysis revealed localized thickening of the bone with an overlaying connective tissue covered by keratinized epithelium. The bony tissue was vital, had a convex shape, and contained many osteocytes and resting lines, demonstrating some moderate signs of bone remodeling. The connective tissue and keratinized epithelium displayed a regular thickness without any signs of inflammation. Taken together, the histologic findings failed to reveal any pathologic signs except for the presence of vital bone formed outside the bony envelope. It can be concluded that: (1) the development of a bone exostosis following a mucogingival procedure is a rare clinical sequela of uncertain etiology, and (2) surgical removal of the exostosis may be indicated accordingly with patient symptoms.

Piezoelectric canalplasty for exostoses and osteoma.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety profile and surgical technique for removal of symptomatic exostoses and osteoma of the external auditory canal with a micro-oscillating piezoelectric device. METHOD: A chart review was conducted on patients undergoing piezoelectric canalplasty between 2019 and 2021 at tertiary referral hospital. Surgery was performed by two surgeons with varying experience. Bone removal was achieved using both osteotomy and osteoplasty. Postoperative complications, operative time and hearing outcome were evaluated. RESULTS: The study comprised 16 patients (16 ears). No major complications occurred. The skin of the auditory canal was completely preserved in all patients without injury to the tympanic membrane. Except for one patient with known noise-induced hearing loss, there was no postoperative deterioration of the bone-conduction threshold more than 10 dB HL at any frequency. The difference of the bone-conduction threshold in pure-tone audiometry (average for 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz) three weeks postoperatively had a median of 0.6 dB ± 5.7. One patient complained of temporary new tinnitus. One patient had prolonged wound healing. Mean operative time was comparable with literature data. CONCLUSION: The atraumatic characteristics of the piezoelectric instrument enable low-risk removal of external auditory canal exostoses and osteoma. Through the combination of precise osteotomy and osteoplasty, this novel instrument has the potential to become established in routine canalplasty.

Canalplasty for Exostosis Removal Comparing Microscopic Versus Endoscopic Ear Surgery Techniques.

OBJECTIVE: To compare an endoscopic versus microscopic approach to removal of exostoses and osteomas in canalplasty procedures. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case review. SETTING: Private and tertiary referral centers. PATIENTS: Adult patients requiring canalplasty procedures performed either microscopically or endoscopically for removal of exostosis or osteoma and/or canal stenosis. INTERVENTION: Microscopic or endoscopic canalplasty. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Major outcome measures included assessment of hearing improvement as well as rates of major and minor complications. Standard audiological data were collected before and after the operative procedure. Major complications queried included stenosis, perforation of the tympanic membrane, hearing loss, facial palsy, and osteomyelitis. Minor complications queried included signs of poor wound healing, graft failure, and bleeding or discharge. RESULTS: Forty three canalplasties were performed on 36 patients. Audiometric tests did not significantly differ between endoscopic and microscopic surgeries. There was a moderate linear relationship between date of surgery and duration of surgery for the endoscopic technique, with more recent surgeries taking less time. No major complications were noted. However, significantly fewer endoscopic cases had evidence of minor postoperative complications relative to microscopic cases. CONCLUSIONS: An endoscopic approach to canalplasty is a safe and minimally invasive technique. Significantly fewer postoperative complications occurred after endoscopic canalplasty procedures as compared with microscopic procedures. Endoscopic repair may be preferred to microscopic repairs due to the improved view of the end of the instruments while maintaining a minimally invasive approach with what is likely a decreased operative time as well.

Exercise induced neuropathic lower leg pain due to a tibial bone exostosis.

Objectives: The differential diagnosis of chronic exercise induced lower leg pain in sporters includes compartment syndrome and medial tibial stress syndrome. However, severe discomfort may also be caused by nerve entrapment.Methods: Here we present a marathon runner who reports pain day and night in the lower leg. Deep palpation suggested the presence of a bony tumor deep in the calf musculature, and digital pressure on the soleal sling was painful and elicited paresthesias in the foot. A swab test indicated a hypo-esthetic sole of the foot. Imaging revealed the presence of a tibial exostosis that was hypothesized to narrow the soleal tunnel and irritate the tibial nerve.Results: Via a medial infragenual approach, the soleal tunnel was opened. A bony prominence was found in direct contact to the tibial nerve. Resection of the exostosis with tibial nerve neurolysis completely abolished all of his symptoms.Conclusion: An awkward lower leg discomfort that is present at night and worsens during exercise combined with altered foot sole skin sensation in the presence of a tibial bone exostosis may suggest tibial nerve neuropathy. If conservative therapies fail, resection and neurolysis is advised.

[Genetic hypothesis involving Haglund's syndrome and its association with ankylosing spondylitis: case report]. / L'hypothèse génétique de la maladie de Haglund, et son association avec la spondyloarthrite ankylosante: à propos d'un cas.

Haglund´s syndrome is characterized by osterosuperior calcaneal exostosis which irritates the Achilles tendon and manifests mainly as posterior talalgia. We here report the case of a 28-year-old woman on follow up for ankylosing spondylitis. Her mother was on follow up for the same systemic disease, and one of her maternal aunts had undergone surgery due to Haglund's syndrome. Patient's delay led to incorrect diagnosis as talagia was considered by physicians as a consequence of her system disease. The patient did not improve under medical treatment. Surgery outcome was satisfactory. This study raises a hypothesis about the genetic and hereditary character of Haglund's syndrome and its relationship with treatment response.

Dorsal Medial Cuneiform Bony Outgrowth-Apophysis or Exostosis: A Case Report.

CASE: Three female children (11-15 years) presented with painful dorsomedial medial cuneiform masses that did not improve after conservative treatment. Findings were consistent with a diagnosis of medial cuneiform apophysis. After surgical resection, no patients had recurrence, although one continued to have pain from a deep peroneal nerve sensory branch that was resected. One patient had an intramass physis identified. CONCLUSION: When surgically removing dorsomedial cuneiform masses, surgeons should decompress overlying sensory nerve branches, detach and subsequently repair muscular attachments, and remove the entire stump to prevent regrowth because some of these masses may be apophyses and not exostoses.

Pediatric Subungual Exostosis.

Exostosis is a type of benign bone tumor in which trabecular (spongy) bone overgrows its normal border in a nodular pattern. When the growth occurs under the nail bed, it is termed subungual exostosis or Dupuytren exostosis. This condition may mimic other bony abnormalities such as an osteochondroma and may present with nail deformities with or without pain. For this reason, a biopsy of the lesion is necessary to rule out a precancerous growth. In rare cases, pediatric patients may have subungual exostosis, as demonstrated in our case.

Subungual Exostosis on the Right Hallux.

Subungual exostosis (SE) is a benign, relatively uncommon bony growth underneath the nails of the distal phalanx of toes or fingers, with a majority on the toes. Clinically, it has two subvariants-protruded and nonprotruded growths from nail plates-which are treated differently. In this article, we report a case of protruded SE in a teenager with illustrative surgical excision. A 15-year-old boy presented with a painful growth on his right great toe of 6 months' duration. Physical examination revealed a 1-cm-diameter, solid, erythematous, rough, irregular growth penetrating through the skin along the dorsolateral nail bed of the right hallux with deformity of the lateral nail plate. Radiographs showed an elevated mass over the distal phalanx of the right lateral hallux. The mass was surgically excised and histopathologic examination confirmed the diagnosis of SE. The patient had no relapse or recurrence at follow-ups of 6 and 18 months. Subungual exostosis is a relatively uncommon bony growth in the toes. Radiography is favored for the diagnosis. Complete surgical excision is the optimal treatment, with rare recurrence. It needs to be differentiated from other bony lesions, including bizarre parosteal osteochondromatous proliferation, myositis ossificans, fibro-osseous pseudotumor, osteochondroma, and enchondroma.