Conservative treatment of a pathologic fracture of the scaphoid bone in a child

Abstract

Rationale:Tumors of the scaphoid are rare, and some can cause pathological fractures. No cases of pathological fractures of the scaphoid have been reported in children. The most common treatment for pathologic fractures of the scaphoid bone associated with a benign lesion in adults is surgical, with intralesional curettage associated with autologous bone grafting and internal fixation.Patient concerns:A 10-year-old boy presented with wrist pain after falling from his height.Diagnoses:X-ray, CT-scan and MRI showed a pathological undisplaced fracture of the scaphoid on a benign lytic lesion.Interventions:The arm was immobilized in a below-elbow cast.Outcomes:The fracture healed within 4 months of immobilization. 3 years after the fracture, the functional status was normal, and the lytic lesion could not be seen on radiographs.Lessons:Retrospectively, the most probable etiology was a ganglion cyst. Our case suggests that some pathological fractures of the scaphoid may not need surgery, especially not in children.