Scapular osteochondroma: An unusual cause of static winged scapula in a pre-teen

Abstract

Winged scapula is most commonly caused by injury of the long thoracic nerve which results in paralysis of the serratus anterior muscle. Scapular osteochondroma is uncommon and rarely presents as winged scapula in the skeletally matured patients. We report a 9-year-old female with progressive winging of the left scapula due to osteochondroma on its costal surface. The clinical diagnosis of the cause of the scapular winging was difficult because the tumor was non-palpable, mainly cartilaginous, and not visible on a plain radiograph but was unraveled with ultrasonography. Diagnosis of osteochondroma in a pre-teen is unusual but should be considered in the differential diagnosis for static-winged scapula in a child.

Keywords

• differential diagnosis
• pre-teen
• scapula osteochondroma
• static winged scapula
• ultrasonography