Recurrent aggressive chondrosarcoma of the middle phalanx of the index finger: excision and reconstruction with an osteocartilaginous allograft

Chondrosarcomas are malignant tumours and need to be treated aggressively including ablative surgery. Bovée et al. and Mankin have recently drawn attention to a less aggressive behaviour of chondrosarcomas of the phalanges compared with those of other localizations including the metacarpals. An 12 year follow-up of a patient with a chondrosarcoma of the middle phalanx of the index finger is presented. The lesion was curetted initially, and a repeat curettage was performed 4 years later. Finally, 8 years later the phalanx was excised and reconstructed with an osteocartilaginous allograft. Histologically, the lesion changed from a chondrosarcoma grade I to grade II. The patient continues to be free of recurrence and metastases 4 years after the final resection. The potential for systemic disease of chondrosarcomas of the phalanges is probably much lower than in chondrosarcomas of other localizations, and therefore digit-sparing techniques may be considered rather than ablative procedures.