title: Multilevel thoracic hemangioma with spinal cord compression in a pediatric patient: case report and review of the literature.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Vertebral hemangiomas are common benign vascular tumors of the spine. It is very rare for these lesions to symptomatically compress neural elements. If spinal cord compression does occur, it usually involves only a single level. Multilevel vertebral hemangiomas causing symptomatic spinal cord compression have never been reported in the pediatric population to the best of our knowledge.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report the case of a 15-year-old boy presenting with progressive paraparesis due to thoracic spinal cord compression from a multilevel thoracic hemangioma (T5-T10) with epidural extension.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Because of his progressive neurological deficit, he was initially treated with urgent multilevel decompressive laminectomies from T4 to T11. This was to be followed by radiotherapy for residual tumor, but the patient was unfortunately lost to follow-up. He re-presented 3 years later with recurrent paraparesis and progressive disease. This was treated with urgent radiotherapy with good response. As of 6 months follow-up, he has made an excellent neurological recovery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this report, we present the first case of a child with multilevel vertebral hemangiomas causing symptomatic spinal cord compression and review the literature to detail the pathophysiology, management, and treatment of other cases of spinal cord compression by vertebral hemangiomas.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Texas Children's Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, 6621 Fannin Street, CCC 1230.01, 12th Floor, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cherian
authors.forename: Christina M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Sayama
authors.forename: Adekunle M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Adesina
authors.forename: Sandi K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Thomas G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Luerssen
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jea
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy; D008297:Male; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae