Clinical Practice and Cases in Emergency Medicine

Introduction: This case report discusses the use of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in the diagnosis of a fractured pedunculated osteochondroma in an 8-year-old boy after minor trauma. Although osteochondromas are the most common benign bone tumors, especially in this age, historically only radiographs have been obtained in the emergency department to diagnose these benign bone tumors. 

Case Report: An 8-year-old boy reported ongoing pain for 2 months but had an acute onset worsening of his pain after minor trauma to the medial distal right femur. Point-of-care ultrasound was used to diagnose a fractured pedunculated osteochondroma prior to radiographic imaging.

Conclusion: We demonstrated the practicality and ease of POCUS in assisting with the diagnosis of  an osteochondroma and the subtle fracture of the base. Both POCUS and radiographic imaging may be beneficial when used in conjunction for the diagnosis of benign bone tumors in this age group.