Journal of Emergency Practice and Trauma

Giant cell tumor of patella: A case report and review of literature

Document Type : Case Report

Authors

Mohit Kumar Arora
Ela Madaan
Rajnand Kumar

Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, Gurugram, Haryana, India

https://doi.org/10.15171/jept.2019.06
Abstract
Objective: Patella is a sesamoid bone which develops in the quadriceps tendon. It is an uncommon site for neoplasms. The most common primary tumors which involve patella are benign. These include chondroblastoma, giant cell tumor (GCT) and aneurysmal bone cyst. Malignant lesions are less common in patella. These encompass metastasis, osteosarcoma and hemangioendothelioma. The most common complaint in patients of GCT patella is anterior knee pain. Early diagnosis and optimal management are necessary for improving survival rate in these patients.
Case Presentation: The authors present a case report of GCT of patella in a 16-year old child. Incisional biopsy was done to confirm the diagnosis. Further radiological examination showed that the tumor involved almost whole of the patella. Hence, surgical management in the form of patellectomy and extensor mechanism repair was done to improve the outcome of the disease. The patient did not have any clinical or radiological symptoms at the end of the final follow up of 22 months.
Conclusion: Primary tumor of patella is a rare entity. Benign tumors like GCT present only with anterior knee pain and should be included in the differential diagnosis of anterior knee pain. MRI is useful to determine the extent of involvement of tumor in the patella. Treatment may vary from curettage and bone grafting to total patellectomy with extensor mechanism repair

Keywords

Giant cell tumor
Patella
Benign neoplasm
Subjects
1. Ferguson PC, Griffin AM, Bell RS. Primary patellar tumors. Clin Orthop Relat Res 1997; (336): 199-204. doi:10.1097/00003086-199703000-00028
2. Kransdorf MJ, Moser RP Jr, Vinh TN, Aoki J, Callaghan JJ. Primary tumors of the patella. A review of 42 cases. Skeletal
Radiol 1989; 18(5): 365-71.
3. Mercuri M, Casadei R. Patellar tumors. Clin Orthop Relat Res 2001; (389): 35-46. doi: 10.1097/00003086-200108000-
00007
4. Campanacci M, Baldini N, Boriani S, Sudanese A. Giantcell tumor of bone. J Bone Joint Surg Am 1987; 69(1): 106-14.
5. Sung HW, Kuo DP, Shu WP, Chai YB, Liu CC, Li SM. Giantcell tumor of bone: analysis of two hundred and eight cases
in Chinese patients. J Bone Joint Surg Am 1982; 64(5): 755-
61.
6. Song M, Zhang Z, Wu Y, Ma K, Lu M. Primary tumors of the patella. World J Surg Oncol 2015; 13: 163. doi: 10.1186/
s12957-015-0573-y.
Journal of Emergency Practice and Trauma
Volume 6, Issue 1
January 2020
Pages 47-49

  • Receive Date 11 January 2019
  • Revise Date 17 April 2019
  • Accept Date 18 April 2019

Home

Editor-in-Chief: Shahrad Tajoddini, MD

Guide for Authors

Submit Manuscript

Reviewers

Contact Us

Editorial board