title: Unrecognized hemangiopericytoma of posterior cervical region with intracranial extension.
abstract: Hemangiopericytoma of the posterior cervical space and occipital bone is an uncommon lesion which should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a lumpy and highly vascular lesion of the posterior cervical space. We report the case of a 47-year-old woman who experienced sudden and painful occipital and posterior cervical swelling. She underwent a blind biopsy which was complicated by profuse bleeding. The palpable lesion was not properly diagnosed preoperatively, and the endocranial extension of the lesion was overlooked by her surgeon who performed a blind biopsy without adequate diagnostic imaging who inadvertently invaded the posterior cranial fossa during biopsy. We would like to emphasize the need for appropriate non-invasive diagnostic investigations before any biopsy of head and neck lesions that may extend deeply.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Dubrava, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Milorad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vilendecic
authors.forename: Gordan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grahovac
authors.forename: Smiljka
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lambasa
authors.forename: Vjekoslav
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jelec
authors.forename: Iva
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Topic
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy / Q000009:adverse effects; D003388:Cranial Fossa, Posterior / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D004388:Dura Mater / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology*; D006393:Hemangiopericytoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck / Q000473:pathology*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009777:Occipital Bone / Q000473:pathology; D012888:Skull Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology*