Giant cell tumors of the tendon sheath. About a new case

ABSTRACT

Giant cell tumors [GCT] are benign tumors of the tendon sheath, locally aggressive. Their prevalence comes only to 1.8 patients by one million inhabitants. They account for 18% of the benign tumors of hand and wrist. The location is in general unique. The affection can take two clinical forms. Thus, the GCT can be localized and appears under the aspect of an adherent nodule to a tendon, not painful and with slow growth. Elsewhere, it is diffuse and represents the equivalent in the sheaths or the serous purses of the pigmented villonodular synovitis. It affects young adults in general between the third and the fourth decade. Women seem more frequently affected than men. The location of predilection is fingers [80%]. Feet localization remains rare; we report one feet location. The aetiopathogenesis remains uncertain. Clinical expression of this entity is insidious. Standard radiographies are in general normal. MRI is the most performant exam for the analysis of the structure of synovial membrane nowadays. Biopsy confirms the diagnosis. The treatment is surgical and resection of the tumor must be complete with usually a favorable outcome. However local recurrence is frequent