Minimally-invasive resection of a scapular osteochondroma

Osteochondroma of the scapula is a rare benign tumour that produces pain and mechanical dysfunction of the joint when settled on the ventral surface of the scapula. Surgical resection is the treatment of choice in symptomatic cases. Conventional open excision has been the traditional treatment of choice, while published cases involving a minimally-invasive approach are rare and restricted to descriptions of video-assisted procedures. We present a case of video-assisted surgical resection of a large osteochondroma from the ventral surface of the scapula in a young male patient with the snapping scapula syndrome. The technique and the postoperatory outcome are described. (c) 2011 Published by European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.