Osteochondroma: A 15 year review of its demographics at the Jos University Teaching Hospital in North Central Nigeria

Abstract

Background/Aims: Osteochondroma is the most common bone tumour worldwide, most cases present as a painless bony protrusion
that poses minimal risk to the patient with very few undergoing malignant transformation. This study is aimed at documenting the
demographics of Osteochondroma in a tertiary health care Centre in North Central Nigeria. The gender distribution, age distribution
and site of diagnosis were documented.

Methods: This is a hospital based retrospective study which assesses all cases of osteochondroma diagnosed at the Department of
Histopathology, Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos Plateau State North-Central Nigeria between 1st January 2005 to 31st December
2019. Records of all cases of primary bone tumour within the period of the study were reviewed and percentages were calculated for
osteochondroma. The Age, Sex and Anatomical site of osteochondroma diagnosis were recorded. Slides were reviewed to confirm the
diagnosis.

Results: A total 165 primary bone tumours were documented in the period of review of which 103 were benign and 62 malignant. There  were 28 cases of Osteochondroma (which accounted for 17% of primary bone tumours and 27% of benign bone tumours).  Forty six  percent of cases occurred in the second decade and it had a male to female ratio of (M:F) 0.86:1. Sixty percent (60%) of  cases occurred in  the femur, tibia and humerus combined.

Conclusion: The demographics of osteochondroma at the Jos University Teaching Hospital  correlates with reports from similar institutions in other parts of Nigeria and other parts of the world.