Bone osteoma is a tumor of bone tissue that is benign, never malignant and does not spread to surrounding tissues. Osteomas develop slowly, in most cases are single (with the exception of Gardner's disease, in which multiple lesions of cranial bones are observed).
Localized mainly on the outer surface of bones, osteomas are more often formed on the tibial, femoral, fibular, radial, humerus. Also often, osteomes are located on the bones of the skull (occipital, parietal, frontal), on the walls of the paranasal sinuses, on the jaws. Sometimes osteomas affect the spinal column.
Causes of osteoma of the bone
The exact causes of the development of this pathology are not known, but there are a number of predisposing factors:
- heredity;
- injuries;
- gout ;
- syphilis;
- rheumatism.
Classification of osteoma
According to the structure, the following species are distinguished by osteome:
- Solid (consists of a dense substance, arranged in the form of plates);
- spongy (consists of a porous spongy substance);
- Brain-shaped (contains cavities filled with bone marrow).
Symptoms of bone osteoma
The clinical manifestations of this lesion depend on the site of localization.
Osteomas localized on the outer side of the cranial bones are painless and represent dense immobile formations that can be probed under the skin. If the osteoma is inside the skull, the following symptoms may appear:
- headache;
- memory and attention impairment;
- increased intracranial pressure .
Located on the paranasal sinuses, osteomas can give such symptoms:
- omission of the eyelid;
- bulging of the eyeball;
- different pupil size;
- double vision in the eyes;
- deterioration of vision;
- difficulty breathing.
Osteomas localized on the bones of the limbs often cause pain in the affected area, reminiscent of muscle pain.
Diagnosis and treatment of bone osteoma
Osteomas are diagnosed by X-ray examination or computed tomography. If these formations develop asymptomatically, then they are not treated, only constant medical supervision is required. In other cases, surgical treatment is performed to remove the tumor and a small portion of the bone tissue around. Re-emergence of the tumor after surgery is very rare.