Non-Vascularized Toe Phalanx Transfer in Osteoblastoma of the Finger: A Case Report and Surgical Technique

Osteoblastoma is a benign neoplastic lesion of the bone and it is rarely found in the wrist and hand, with only a few reported cases. Treatment typically involves curettage and marginal excision. We report a rare case of osteoblastoma located in the distal phalanx of the fourth finger in a 9-year-old boy. We treated it surgically with a non-vascularized free toe phalanx transfer, a well-known and acceptable technique commonly used to treat certain pediatric congenital hand deformities and our case showed that it can effectively treat finger distal phalanx osteoblastoma with good outcomes. The patient was followed for three years postoperatively without signs of local recurrence. We present this case to alert radiologists and surgeons regarding this rare tumor and to highlight the surgical technique of using a toe phalanx graft as a viable and feasible option for the treatment of hand phalangeal tumors.