The standard operative procedure for benign bone tumours is curettage
and autogenous bone grafting, with or without artificial materials (i.
e. hydroxyapatite ceramics) under direct visualisation, necessitating
a wide skin incision. If benign bone tumours are treated endoscopicall
y, as in joint surgery or extra-articular surgery (e.g, carpal tunnel
release or subacromial decompression), a wide skin incision is not nec
essary. Since June 1991, we have treated benign bone tumours endoscopi
cally through 1-3 small skin incisions, even when they were located in
the pelvis or femoral head. Bone tumours were clearly observed and en
ough information was obtained to perform biopsies and operations using
the Universal Subcutaneous Endoscope (USE) system. 13 benign bone tum
ours have been successfully treated using the USE system alone or in c
ombination with a standard arthroscope. We conclude that benign bone t
umours may be successfully biopsied and operated on endoscopically, wi
th less stressful surgical invasion than in standard open operations.
This paper reports our operative procedure and long-term follow-up res
ults of the world's first endoscopic management of benign bone tumours
.