Transphyseal spread of benign tumors and infections in pediatric patients: a series of six cases.

ABSTRACT

Epiphyseal extension of benign pathology is regarded as an infrequent occurrence. This observation has been attributed to anatomical and biochemical phenomenon unique to physeal cartilage. We report a retrospective series of six patients over a period of 4 years, diagnosed with benign pathologies that showed crossing of an open physeal plate by the disease. Four of these cases were infections and two were benign tumors. The patients were aged between 5 and 11 years, all of them were treated at a tertiary referral centre and followed up for a minimum period of 6 months to evaluate the progress of disease. The findings are more than just a pathological curiosity as they alter the management and surgical procedure that needs to be performed for these conditions. The recognition of the fact that benign tumors may occasionally present with transphyseal spread will prevent unjustified radical procedures that are best reserved for aggressive malignant conditions.