The Drama of Enchondromas

Enchondromas are tiny non-cancerous tumors that grow inside the bones and are made up of cartilage. They begin to develop during childhood in people ranging from age 10 to 20. As a rule, they are not painful and do not require treatment. They often go undetected until a person has an imaging test, such as an X-ray, for a totally unrelated reason such as an injury or arthritis. These tumors are common and most often appear in the hands and feet, but they can occasionally be found in major long bones of the arm and leg.

The cause of enchondromas is not readily apparent; there does not seem to be any correlation between having the tumor(s) and exposure to chemicals, radiation, or certain activities. When the tumors appear in the hands and feet, they can cause bone deformities due to the small size of the bones.

The symptoms of enchondromas mimic other conditions, so check with Dr. Bowman; however, common symptoms of enchondromas include:

• Pain if the growth is large
• Enlarged fingers or toes
• Pathologic fractures
• Deformities

Once you discover the tumors, it is crucial to monitor them to make sure they are not aggressive or cancerous.

If specific treatment is necessary, it will be on a case-by-case basis. Dr. Bowman will take into consideration your age, overall health, and medical history, as well as the following:

• How far the tumors are progressing
• How well you tolerate medications and procedures
• Whether the tumors can become worse
• What you prefer

In some cases where the growth of the enchondromas has caused the bones to fracture, treatment may include surgery to graft healthy bone taken from elsewhere in the body to replace the fractured and diseased bone. If no indication of bone weakening exists, Dr. Bowman will set up a schedule that allows your condition to be closely monitored. Please contact Dr. Bowman at (713) 467-8886 for all your foot and ankle concerns. His vested interest is in the overall health of your feet in order to safeguard your quality of life.

References:

http://www.houstonfootspecialists.com/library/1806/Enchondroma.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enchondroma
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00085

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