Fibrous Dysplasia of the Spine - A Case Involving Three Levels of Thoracic Spine.
BACKGROUND
Involvement of the spinal column in either monostotic or polyostotic form is rare, with fewer than thirty-five cases discussed in the literature. Most of the cases of polyostotic fibrous dysplasia of spine have involvement of the appendicular skeleton.


METHODS
We report a case of a 74-year-old Irish man with a two month history of back pain. Investigations revealed a diagnosis of fibrous dysplasia involving three levels of the thoracic spine in isolation. The patient underwent T2-T9 stabilization and bone grafting.


CONCLUSIONS
A case of fibrous dysplasia involving three levels of the thoracic spine in isolation has never previously been reported. The extreme rarity of this type of presentation can pose a diagnostic dilemma, and in cases with spinal involvement, a consensus of management has not yet been achieved.
Department of Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgery, Galway University Hospital, Galway, Ireland.
Kenneth M
KM
Joyce
Department of Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgery, Galway University Hospital, Galway, Ireland.
Sven
S
O'hEireamhoin
Division of Anatomic Pathology, Department of Histopathology, Galway University Hospital, Galway, Ireland.
Michael Tan Chien
MT
Sheng
Department of Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgery, Galway University Hospital, Galway, Ireland.
Aiden
A
Devitt
Fibrous - dysplasia; thoracic - spine