RESUMO

Introduction: Osteochondroma is the most common benign bone tumor (20-50%). It is located predominantly in the metaphysis of the long bones, and much less frequently, the proximal femur and acetabulum. Osteochondroma can eventually lead to hip osteoarthritis and limit patients' functional activities. Determining optimal treatment can be difficult due to the high risk of avascular necrosis in surgical resections. Case Report: A 44-year-old male from Sabinas Coahuila, Mexico, a priest by profession, who presents for consultation with right inguinal pain of 18 months' duration. The patient had been treated conservatively with rest, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and physical therapy without showing improvement in his symptoms. The anteroposterior radiograph of the pelvis and axial tomography showed an oval bone excrescence with well-defined margins in the acetabular and intra-articular region of the hip, which caused a decrease in joint space but without soft tissue infiltration. Tumor resection and total hip replacement were the treatment options. The histopathological study concluded an osteochondroma. After 25 months of post-operative follow-up, radiographic studies show no evidence of lesion recurrence. The functional improvement is 98 points on the Harris scale; the patient typically performs his daily living and work activities. Conclusion: Treating intra-articular osteochondroma of the hip can be challenging for the orthopedic surgeon. For osteochondroma resulting in secondary osteoarthrosis of the hip joint, total hip replacement should be considered an effective method to restore function and assist in returning the patient to previous activities. Thorough pre-operative planning is mandatory to prevent intra- or immediate post-operative risk.