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Updated: Aug 1, 2026
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Intraoperative Ultrasound in Spinal Surgery
Published on: August 17, 2022
[Spinal localization of Gorham's syndrome. Case report]
V Grelet1, H Chataigner, M Onimus
1Service de Chirurgie des scolioses et Orthopédie infantile, Hôpital Saint Jacques, Besançon.
Summary
Massive spinal osteolysis, a rare bone disease, can cause vertebral collapse. Surgical spinal fixation provided a satisfactory outcome in a T9 collapse case.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Radiology
- Oncology
Background:
- Massive osteolysis, also known as vanishing bone disease, is a rare condition of unknown etiology characterized by progressive bone resorption.
- Spinal involvement is uncommon, with only 20 reported cases out of 132 worldwide.
Observation:
- A case of massive osteolysis in an 18-year-old male presenting with T9 vertebral collapse and right chylothorax.
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) revealed increased signal intensity on T1 and T2 weighted sequences.
- Initial conservative treatment with a cast was followed by surgical intervention due to persistent pain and kyphosis.
Findings:
- Posterior segmental fixation using a Hartshill rectangle from T4 to L5 was performed.
- The patient showed satisfactory outcomes at a 6-month follow-up.
- The associated chylothorax resolved spontaneously after 5 days of drainage.
Implications:
- Spinal localization of massive osteolysis presents diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.
- Segmental fixation extending to adjacent normal vertebrae is the recommended treatment for spinal lesions.
- The condition has an uncertain prognosis with a significant mortality rate (16%).
