Wheeless' Textbook of Orthopaedics Main Menu Home Page Massive osteolysis.
Massive osteolysis is rare, peculiar, and enigmatic.
The clinical, radiographic, and histologic features were reviewed in 11 cases. More than half the patients had involvement of either the femur or the ribs alone or including the vertebrae. On the basis of radiographic studies, the disease process is capable of originating either in bone or adjacent soft tissues. Histologically, the authors were unable to identify pathognomonic features. Other than excision of all involved tissue, surgical treatment was generally ineffective.