title: Preadolescent presentation of a lumbar chordoma: results of vertebrectomy and fibula strut graft reconstruction at 8 years.
abstract: Chordoma is a tumour of notochordal origin which usually involves the sacrum or skull base presenting in adulthood. Chordoma in a mobile spinal segment is infrequent and the authors report an extremely rare presentation of L3 chordoma in a child aged 7 years. Although a benign tumour, mobile segment chordoma is more locally aggressive, more likely to metastasise and has a poorer 5 year survival than sacral and clival lesions. Wide surgical excision and reconstruction is the treatment of choice in vertebral chordoma. This case was treated with staged vertebrectomy and fibular strut graft reconstruction and the results of clinical and radiological follow up at 8 years are presented.
authors.affiliation: Spinal Surgery Unit, The Royal Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust, Birmingham, West Midlands, UK. vijayortho@googlemail.com
authors.forename: Vijay V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Killampalli
authors.forename: Dominic
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Power
authors.forename: Alistair J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Stirling
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002817:Chordoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005360:Fibula / Q000637:transplantation*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009984:Orthopedic Fixation Devices; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D011859:Radiography; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*