Abstract
We report two cases of microgeodic disease that was described for the first time by Maroteaux in 1979. This disease is characteristic of unknown etiology, and the lesion is confined to the fingers of infants and it regresses spontaneously. The X-ray examination shows small geodes in phalanges of the affected fingers.
Case 1: A seven-year-old boy was referred to us in January 1983, complaining of swelling, pain and local heat on his right index. He had spindle-shaped swelling, faint local heat and tenderness on the middle phalange of the finger. An X-ray film revealed condensation of the bone shadow at the diaphysis with small radiolucent spots and also rarefaction of the bone shadow at the metaphysic with marginal erosion.
Case 2: An 11-year-old boy was referred to us in March, complaining of frostbite like symptom on the middle phalange of his right middle finger. The physiological and radiological findings were very similar to those of case 1.
We reviewed Japanese cases about this disease, although Y. Sugiura reported the first case in Japan in 1974.
They occurred sporadically in winter from December to March, at any age of children with male predominance. The affected portions were limited to fingers or toes, especially their middle phalanges (approximately 90%). The etiology was not defined yet, but one of the most important factors was the disturbance of circulation by coldness. It was, however, interesting to find that there were many cases reported in Chubu and Kinki districts but few reports in Tohoku and Hokkaido, the nothern parts of Japan.
