Osteoblastoma of the carpal navicular: a case report and review of the literature.

Abstract

Osteoblastoma of the scaphoid is an infrequent cause of hand and wrist pain. The few reported cases emphasize the rarity of osteoblastoma in hand and wrist localizations. Pathological examination is mandatory before treatment due to lack of distinctive clinical and radiological features. We report the case of a 17-year-old right-handed girl who presented with a more than 7-month history of progressive right-wrist pain. No history of trauma was reported. Conservative treatment with anti-inflammatory medications before referral was unsuccessful. The authors present the diagnostic difficulties and the treatment that was applied: proximal row carpectomy. Treatment options, according to the literature, also include scaphoidectomy and tumor curettage with bone grafting.