title: Giant chordoma of the upper thoracic spine with mediastinal involvement: a surgical challenge.
abstract: Thoracic chordomas are very rare malignant tumours originating from notochordal remnants. These tumours develop within a vertebral body and enlarge involving the mediastinal compartment. Because of their slow-growing attitude, they become symptomatic only when they invade or compress the spinal cord and/or mediastinal organs. We present a rare case of a thoracic spine chordoma presenting with increasing paraparesis with a huge mediastinal component which was surgically debulked to decompress the spinal cord and medistinal organs.
authors: Thoracic Surgery Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria "Maggiore della Carità", University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy.
authors: Ottavio
authors: O
authors: Rena
authors: Thoracic Surgery Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria "Maggiore della Carità", University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy.
authors: Fabio
authors: F
authors: Davoli
authors: Neurosurgery Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria "Maggiore della Carità", University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy.
authors: Giuliano
authors: G
authors: Allegra
authors: Thoracic Surgery Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria "Maggiore della Carità", University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy.
authors: Caterina
authors: C
authors: Casadio
authors: Thoracic Surgery Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria "Maggiore della Carità", University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy.
authors: Davide
authors: D
authors: Turello
keywords: Bone neoplasms; Chordoma; Mediastinum; Spine; Surgery