Spinal pigmented villonodular synovitis: a case report.
METHODS
This case report illustrates a young male patient with thoracal spinal pigmented villonodular synovitis who presented with difficulty in walking.


OBJECTIVE
The treatment of this lesion with posterior approach for preventing neurological deterioration and follow-up with magnetic resonance imaging studies.


BACKGROUND
Spinal involvement of pigmented villonodular synovitis rare. It is treated by radical surgical excision. But in some cases, as in our case, surgical total excision of the lesion with a one-stage operation is not possible. For this reason, in such cases, follow-up studies with magnetic resonance images are sufficient. This report represents the 14th case of spinal involvement of pigmented villonodular synovitis.


METHODS
The patient presented with difficulty walking and received surgery including posterior decompression and subtotal tumor excision. All neurologic signs and symptoms disappeared in a short period. Postoperatively, follow-up studies with magnetic resonance imaging were performed and regrowth of residual lesion was not detected.


RESULTS
The patient was discharged home without neurologic deficit. Follow-up studies with magnetic resonance images showed no regrowth of residual lesion.


CONCLUSIONS
The principle of surgical management of spinal lesions causing neurologic deficit is early surgical decompression. Although pigmented villonodular synovitis requires total excision, in the presented case total excision of lesion was impossible, because vertebral body involvement needs an anterior or posterolateral approach. During the 16-month follow up, regrowth of the lesion has not occurred. These observations indicate that surgical decompression and follow-up of a patient with magnetic resonance imaging constitute a satisfactory treatment of pigmented villonodular synovitis.
Gezen
F
F
Department of Neurosurgery, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Ankara, Turkey.
Akay
K M
KM
Aksu
A Y
AY
Bedük
A
A
Seber
N
N
D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D013586:Synovitis, Pigmented Villonodular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology*