Cervical spinal cord compression due to an osteochondroma in hereditary multiple exostosis: case report and review of the literature.
BACKGROUND
Hereditary multiple exostosis is a benign disorder characterized by multiple osteochondromas affecting long and flat bones, although occasionally vertebral column involvement can be seen. Cervical spinal cord compression in HME is a rare condition. The objective of this manuscript is to describe a rare case of cervical myelopathy due to an exostosis arising from C7 in a patient with HME and a comprehensive review of the current literature.


METHODS
We describe a case of HME in an 18-year-old girl with myelopathy characterized by quadriparesis due to an osteochondroma arising from the lamina of C7. The patient underwent surgery, and a laminectomy was performed with a complete removal of the exostosis and spinal cord decompression. One month after surgery, patient presented an excellent recovery without neurologic deficits.


CONCLUSIONS
Cervical spinal cord compression resulting from osteochondroma is an extremely serious complication of HME. Neurosurgical approach should be recommended in order to achieve a spinal cord decompression, which usually results in excellent functional recovery.
Giudicissi-Filho
Miguel
M
Department of Neurosurgery, Center of Neurology and Neurosurgery Associates, Hospital Beneficência Portuguesa de São Paulo, São Paulo-SP, Brazil.
de Holanda
Carlos Vanderlei M
CV
Borba
Luis Alencar B
LA
Rassi-Neto
Aziz
A
Ribeiro
Carlos Alberto A
CA
de Oliveira
Jean Gonçalves
JG
D000293:Adolescent; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D005097:Exostoses, Multiple Hereditary / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015831:Osteochondroma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery