title: Pediatric vertebral and spinal epidural tumors: a retrospective review of twelve cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pediatric vertebral tumors are rare, and most of the reported series have limited numbers of cases. Diagnosis of these tumors is difficult because of the patients' age and the rarity of the lesions. We aimed to report the clinical, radiological and pathological characteristics in a small series of pediatric vertebral and spinal epidural tumors and to discuss diagnostic and treatment difficulties.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve consecutive pediatric cases with vertebral or spinal epidural tumors were reviewed retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age was 12.6 years, and male and female patients were equal in number. The most common symptom was pain. There were some neurological or local findings in all patients, and there were some positive results on plain radiographs in all cases except 2. The tumors were removed totally in 9 cases. There were histologically malignant lesions in 3 and benign lesions in 9 cases. Three patients with malignant tumors were treated by radiotherapy and 2 by chemotherapy. One patient with thoracic hemangioma was also treated by embolization after surgery. One case with cervical Dabska's tumor died due to air embolization. The other patients were followed for 48.3 months. The preoperative neurological deficits were resolved completely in all patients except the one with only biopsy performed at the last follow-up. There were no new spinal deformities on follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children with vertebral tumors and spinal epidural tumors usually present with pain and neurological deficits or local findings, and there are some indications on plain radiographs. Therefore, a careful physical examination and detailed evaluation of radiographs may minimize the rate of misdiagnosis and underestimation. Most of these tumors are benign, therefore, their outcome is good, and cure may be possible for many of the cases.
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, Vakif Gureba Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. fkarag@yahoo.com
authors: Feyza Karagoz
authors: FK
authors: Guzey
authors: Erhan
authors: E
authors: Emel
authors: Abdurrahman
authors: A
authors: Aycan
authors: N Serdar
authors: NS
authors: Bas
authors: M Hakan
authors: MH
authors: Seyithanoglu
authors: Nezih
authors: N
authors: Ozkan
authors: Cem
authors: C
authors: Karabulut
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015174:Epidural Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*