The treatment of desmoids consists in their complete extirpation. They should not be allowed to attain large size because their removal may entail a serious weakening of the abdominal wall. There should be such plastic rearrangement of abdominal protecting membranes as to reduce the resulting weakening to a minimum.
Psammoma.
—Psammoma is a term applied to a form of hard fibroma met with in the dura mater, in which there has occurred a petrefaction of some of the cells—i. e., a deposition of calcareous salts, which gives it a gritty or sandy appearance.
Chondroma.
—The true chondroma is a tumor composed of hyaline cartilage. It occurs in the long bones, usually in relation with epiphyseal cartilages, and is often noted during the earlier years of life. While it is usually a solitary tumor, multiple chondromas are often seen, especially upon the hands. These tumors are often encapsulated and form deep hollows, in which they rest. Unless pressing upon nerve trunks they are painless and slow of growth. They are exceedingly dense and hard, and ordinarily immovable. Mucoid softening (i. e., cystic degeneration) is common, and the softened areas may give rise to fluctuation. There may be coincident calcification or ossification in any of these growths. It is noted as a curious circumstance by Sutton that their tissue resembles histologically the bluish, translucent, epiphyseal cartilage seen in progressive rickets.
To the small local hypertrophies of cartilage which are seen especially about joints, about the laryngeal cartilages, and the triangular cartilage of the nose, are given the term ecchondroses. They are most common in the knee in connection with rheumatoid arthritis, and occur as prominences along the margins of the joint cartilage. They may project to such an extent as to be detached by accident, after which they become movable and floating bodies in the joints. Many of the floating cartilages or bodies found in joints are detached ecchondroses, which may be smoothed off by attrition, and may be found singly or multiple, even several hundred existing in one joint.
Chondromatous changes as occurring in sarcomatous tumors have been alluded to. It seems to be easy for connective tissue to form hyaline cartilage, and mixed tumors may thus be seen in connection either with sarcoma, fibroma, or other forms.
Treatment.
—The treatment of chondroma is solely operative. Unless the integrity of a member or a limb be compromised, such a tumor can usually be shelled out from its location, but requires that the matrix be completely extirpated; all of which may call for the use of powerful bone instruments. At other times amputation is the only measure which may relieve from deformity, pain, and disability. The ecchondroses occurring within joints necessitate incision and evacuation, with the most rigid aseptic precautions, with or without drainage. When practised according to modern technique this is almost invariably successful. In former times many lives were lost because of septic infection.