title: Aneurysmal bone cysts of the vertebrae.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review records of 14 patients with aneurysmal bone cysts (ABCs) of the spine.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using the Scottish Bone Tumour Registry for the period of October 1952 to November 2005, records of 9 females and 5 males aged 8 to 63 (mean, 25.3) years who had ABCs of the spine and were followed up for a mean of 7.1 years were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most commonly involved site was the lumbar vertebrae (n=6), followed by the thoracic (n=4), cervical (n=3), and sacral (n=1) vertebrae. The mean duration of symptoms at presentation was 8.8 (range, 0.3-24) months. The symptoms included gradually increasing pain in the back (n=14), a palpable spinal mass (n=4), spinal deformity (n=2), and neurological deficits (n=5). All the patients underwent surgery: intra-lesional excision (curettage) without bone grafting (n=3), excision (n=7, 2 of whom had adjuvant radiotherapy), and open excisional biopsy (n=4, 2 of whom had iliac crest bone grafting). One patient with a cervical ABC underwent preoperative angiographic embolisation. Another patient with a sacral ABC underwent percutaneous sclerotherapy. Two patients had recurrence. One had recurrence within 4 months and underwent adjuvant radiotherapy; another had recurrence 16.8 years later and underwent repeat curettage. No major complications were encountered.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most ABCs of the spine occurred in young females. Intra-lesional excision was an effective treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore. jason.lim@mohh.com.sg
authors.forename: Jason Beng Teck
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Himanshu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.forename: Anthony Tony
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Reece
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017824:Bone Cysts, Aneurysmal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D055815:Young Adult