Osteochondroma of the spine: an enigmatic tumor of the spinal cord. A series of 10 cases.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical, radiological and pathological features of vertebral osteochondromas with compressive myelopathy and to review the relevant English literature. Osteochondro-mas are common benign bony lesions of long bones but involvement of spine by solitary osteochondroma and its presentation as compressive myelopathy is rare. Most of the literature is in the form of case reports.


METHODS
During a period of 20 years (1980-1999), 10 cases of osteochondromas of the spine were encountered. Clinical, radiological and pathological features were reviewed.


RESULTS
The age ranged from 13 to 45 years (mean 25.3 years) and all except 1 were males. In 8 cases the pathology involved the cervical spine and in two cases dorsal spine was involved. All patients presented with progressive motor sensory deficit of 6 months to 30 years duration (mean 3.9 years). Decompressive laminectomy was carried out in all the patients. Fortunately, gradual and complete recovery was observed in all of them.


CONCLUSIONS
Osteochondromas of the spine are not as rare as reported in the literature. In a young patient of compressive myelopathy this possibility should be considered. Magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography and CT myelogram are useful in evaluating the size and extent of the lesion for subsequent surgical planning.
Sharma
M C
MC
Department of Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
Arora
R
R
Deol
P S
PS
Mahapatra
A K
AK
Mehta
V S
VS
Sarkar
C
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015831:Osteochondroma / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000209:etiology; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome