Faculty Collaboration Database

Cervical schwannoma presenting as an expansile vertebral body lesion: report of two cases with a technical note on the surgical management. Surg Neurol 2006 Aug;66(2):192-6; discussion 196

Date

08/01/2006

Pubmed ID

16876626

DOI

10.1016/j.surneu.2005.11.057

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-33746293919 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   22 Citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Schwannoma causing invasion and osteolytic expansion of the vertebral body has been uncommonly noted in lumbar and thoracic regions, but has not been yet reported in the cervical spine. Our purpose is to discuss the surgically relevant anatomical features of cervical schwannomas associated with vertebral invasion, to review their imaging findings and briefly discuss the surgical strategies in managing these challenging lesions.

CASE DESCRIPTION: Clinical and radiological follow-up in two patients is presented. Both tumors were successfully resected using an anterior approach with lateral extension. Pathology was diagnostic for a benign schwannoma, and at 1-year follow-up, both patients were asymptomatic with no recurrence.

CONCLUSION: In conclusion, schwannoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of large, extradural mass causing expansion and destruction of the spine, especially with characteristic imaging findings such as neural foraminal widening and vertebral body scalloping. Aggressive surgical management with skeletonization of the vertebral artery may provide good technical and clinical outcome.

Author List

Singrakhia MD, Parmar H, Maheshwari M, Fehlings M

Author

Mohit Maheshwari MD Professor in the Radiology department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Cervical Vertebrae
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Neurilemmoma
Neurosurgical Procedures
Radiography
Spinal Neoplasms