Intraosseous epidermoid cysts of the hand skeleton: a series of eight patients

Abstract

This paper reviews the clinical and radiographic features and treatment results in eight patients with intraosseous epidermoid cysts in the terminal phalanx of a finger seen over a period of 26 years. Data on age, sex, occupation, diagnostic findings, history of injury in six cases, treatment and follow-up were obtained by reviewing medical records and the histopathological findings using the hospital database. The most frequent symptoms of pressure pain, tenderness, redness and swelling occurred at a median time of 12 years after trauma. Male patients were mainly affected (7:1). In four the intraosseous epidermoid cysts were confused with other osteolytic diseases before surgery. Magnetic resonance imaging is recommended in any case of an osteolytic, expanding lesion, particularly in cases that are clinically and radiologically not obviously an intraosseous epidermoid cyst.

Keywords

Epidermoid cyst epithelial cyst intraosseous trauma

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Bhagwandas

Nicolaou

Roberts

. Intraosseous epidermoid cyst mimicking psoriasis. Br J Dermatol. 2001, 145: 366–8.

Bissell

Brunschwig

. Squamous epithelial bone cysts of the terminal phalanx and benign subungual squamous epithelial tumor of finger. JAMA. 1937, 108: 1702–4.

Bobra

Matzinger

McCluskey

. Epidermoid cyst of the terminal phalanx of the thumb. Can Med Assoc J. 1964, 90: 1464–6.

Byers

Mantle

Salm

. Epidermal cysts of phalanges. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1966, 48: 577–81.

Chakravorty

Coley

. Epidermoid (epithelial) cyst of the phalanx. Am J Surg. 1954, 87: 917–20.

Couch

. Epidermoid cyst in bone. Can Med Assoc J. 1934, 30: 516–8.

Fisher

Gruhn

Skerrett

. Epidermal cyst in bone. Cancer. 1958, 11: 643–8.

Hoessly

Lagier

. Anatomico-radiological study of intraosseous epidermoid cysts. Rofo. 1982, 137: 48–54.

Kaufmann

. Ueber Enkatarrhaphie von Epithel. Virchows Arch Pathol Anat Physiol Klin Med. 1884, 97: 236–53.

10.

Macoomb

Penner

. Epidermoid (epithelial) cyst of the terminal phalanx of a finger: Case report and review of the literature. Can Med Assoc J. 1962, 87: 770–1.

11.

Muellner

Nicolic

Lang

. Epidermoid cyst after arthroscopic knee surgery. Arthroscopy. 1998, 14: 331–4.

12.

Musharrafieh

Tawil

Saghieh

. Epidermoid cyst of the thumb. Orthopedics. 2002, 25: 862–3.

13.

Nakajo

Ohkubo

Nandate

. Intraosseous epidermal cyst of the distal phalanx of the thumb: radiographic and magnetic resonance imaging findings. Radiat Med. 2005, 23: 128–32.

14.

Pagnano

Athanasian

Bishop

. Intraosseous epidermoid cyst in a metacarpal mimicking malignancy. Orthopedics. 1997, 20: 719–21.

15.

Patel

Bhuiya

Chen

. Epidermal inclusion cyst of phalanx: A case report and review of the literature. Skeletal Radiol. 2006, 35: 861–3.

16.

Radke

Walther

Ettl

. Epidermoid cyst mimicking monoarticular arthritis of the great toe. Rheumatol Int. 2004, 24: 117–19.

17.

Roth

. Squamous cysts involving the skull and distal phalanges. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1964, 46: 1442–50.

18.

Schajowicz, F. Histological typing of bone tumors. In: World Health Organization (Ed.) International histological classification of tumors. Springer-Verlag Telos, 1993, Vol. 2: 51.

19.

Sonntag. Traumatische Epithelzyste im Knochenende an einem Fingerstumpf als Unfallfolge. Munch Med Wochenschr. 1923, 70: 1055–6.

20.

Zadek

Cohen

. Epidermoid cyst of the terminal phalanx of a finger with a review of the literature. Am J Surg. 1953, 85: 771–4.