MULTIPLE CARTILAGINOUS EXOSTOSIS

This is a review of aspects of hereditary multiple exostosis relevant for the orthopedic surgeon. The autosomally dominant hereditary diseas e with great individual expression is the result of dysplasia of the p eripheral growth plate. During growth exostosis can induce severe seco ndary deformities and reduction of joint mobility, especially the fore arm, knee and ankle. Treatment is surgical with the removal of symptom -producing exostoses the most common procedure. For corrective surgery careful preoperative planning, careful choice of treatment modality a nd sustained follow-up are necessary. The nearly 1 % risk of malignant transformation, most frequently to low-grade chondrosarcoma, must be monitored. A rare complication is cervical cord compression.