The uncertainty of prognosis and possibility of local recurrence of paragangliomas even after a long period emphasizes the importance of wide local surgical resection with or without adjuvant therapy and makes long-term follow-up and continued surveillance of the patient mandatory.

In the period 1969-1991, 46 extensor indicis proprius tendon transfers were performed for functional loss of extensor pollicis longus. The long-term function of the thumb was reviewed in 22 patients with an average follow-up of 7 years. Based on Geldmacher's evaluation scheme for assessment of the results of extensor tendon reconstruction, we report 5 excellent (23%), 4 good (18%), 12 satisfactory (55%) and 1 poor (4%) result. The mean loss of pinch strength was 8% compared with the contralateral, non-operated thumb. Subjectively, the majority of the patients (86%) described no limitations in their daily life activities. It is recommended that the transfer be tight enough to give full thumb extension and that the hand be immobilized with the thumb in this position for 4 weeks.

Malignant transformation of synovial chondromatosis into chondrosarcoma is unusual. Thirteen cases and one series have been reported; only four of them developed in the hip. The overall survival is about 50%, possibly because of the difficulty of arriving at a correct early diagnosis (radiographically and histologically) and subsequent adequate surgical therapy. We report two patients (ages 30 and 50 years) in whom synovial chondrosarcoma developed in previously excised synovial chondromatosis of the hip. The diagnosis was made with modern imaging techniques (computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging) and verified by open biopsy. The early recognition allowed a wide limb-saving resection; both patients are disease free 3 and 2 years after surgery.

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