Juvenile intradural chordoma: case report.
OBJECTIVE
We report the youngest known case of a prepontine intradural chordoma. These tumors are exceedingly rare. Unlike their more common extradural counterparts, no recurrence of an intradural chordoma has been reported.


METHODS
A 9-year-old boy underwent diagnostic imaging for evaluation of headaches. Although neurologically intact, a magnetic resonance imaging scan revealed a large prepontine mass with focal enhancement.


METHODS
Endoscopic-assisted gross total resection was attained with staged bilateral retrosigmoid approaches. There were no additional adjuvant therapies. At the time of the 1-year follow-up evaluation, the patient had no recurrence.


CONCLUSIONS
By using an endoscopic-assisted procedure, we achieved complete resection of an intradural chordoma offering a potential for surgical cure. Resection is particularly advantageous because it spares the young child the need for radiation treatment. Close follow-up is warranted because we postulate that this tumor exists in a biological continuum between benign notochordal hamartomatous remnants and typical invasive chordomas.
Chang
Steven W
SW
Division of Neurological Surgery, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA.
Gore
Pankaj A
PA
Nakaji
Peter
P
Rekate
Harold L
HL
D002648:Child; D002817:Chordoma / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D004388:Dura Mater / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D004724:Endoscopy; D006261:Headache / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed