Benign costal lesions: should we always remove?

Abstract

<bold>Introduction:</bold> Benign rib tumors are very rare tumors, which include a heterogeneous set of lesions, often slowly progressive and asymptomatic. The aim of our study was to specify the place of surgical resection of these lesions. <bold>Methods:</bold> Between 2000 and 2024, 30 patients with a benign rib tumor were surgically managed in our thoracic surgery department. <bold>Results:</bold> The mean age of our patients was 34 years, with 9 women and 21 men. All of our patients underwent rib resection, partially removing 1 to 3 ribs. The final pathological examination revealed: fibrous dysplasia in 13 cases, an eosinophilic tumor in 2 cases, an osteochondroma in 5 cases, a giant cell tumor in 1 case. The postoperative course was simple in 28 cases. One patient required a second surgery for excision of a second osteoblastoma that had become symptomatic. <bold>Conclusion:</bold> Benign costal tumors include a heterogeneous group of lesions, which size and painful symptoms can pose a differential diagnosis with a malignant lesion that a transparietal biopsy could not formally rule out. Hence the indication of surgical excision for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.