Metastatic synovial sarcoma with cervical spinal cord compression treated with posterior ventral resection: case report.
BACKGROUND
Synovial sarcomas, which represent 5% to 10% of all adult soft-tissue sarcomas, usually metastasize to the lungs. Metastasis to the spine is rare. Spinal cord compression due to spinal metastasis occurs in approximately 3% of patients with extraspinal soft-tissue sarcomas.


METHODS
Case report.


RESULTS
A 26-year-old woman presented with neck pain, arm weakness, and a history of metastatic synovial sarcoma originating at the right knee. Computed tomography revealed destruction of the odontoid and C2 body. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed tumor in the posterior elements of C2 and in the ventral epidural space from C2-C5. She was treated with C2-C3 laminectomy, posterior C2 corpectomy with occipital-C7 fixation, and fusion. Postoperatively, her neck pain resolved and left upper extremity strength returned to normal.


CONCLUSIONS
Metastatic spinal cord compression from synovial sarcoma is rare. Surgical resection can lead to neurologic improvement.
Arnold
Paul M
PM
University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Blvd., Mail Stop 3021, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA. parnold@kumc.edu
Roh
Simon
S
Ha
Tung M
TM
Anderson
Karen K
KK
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D013584:Sarcoma, Synovial / Q000473:pathology; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods
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