Soft-tissue osteochondroma of the elbow: A case report

Extraskeletal osteochondromas (ESCs) are rare benign tumors distinguished from conventional osteochondromas by their discontinuity from underlying bone. Their diagnosis can be challenging due to nonspecific clinical and radiological findings, as well as the need to exclude more aggressive soft-tissue tumors, particularly sarcomas. Imaging modalities, including conventional radiographs, CT, and MRI, play a critical role in diagnosis and provide complementary, valuable features.

We report a case of an eighteen-year-old male presenting with a five-year history of slow-growing swelling on the lateral aspect of the right elbow, treated with surgical excision. We discuss the clinical, radiological, and histopathological features of the mass, which was confirmed as a soft-tissue osteochondroma by histopathological analysis of the surgical specimen.  We aim to underscore the importance of considering ESCs in the differential diagnosis of ossified soft-tissue masses in young patients.