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Cervical osteochondroma presenting with acute quadriplegia
Vijayasaradhi Mudumba1, Ravi Kumar Mamindla
1Department of Neurosurgery, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Panjagutta, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Asian Journal of Neurosurgery
|August 8, 2012
Summary
A rare vertebral osteochondroma caused sudden quadriplegia after a minor fall. Surgical removal led to neurological recovery, highlighting an unusual presentation for this slow-growing tumor.
Area of Science:
- Neurosurgery
- Orthopedic Oncology
- Spinal Tumors
Background:
- Osteochondromas are rare vertebral tumors, comprising 3-4% of primary spinal tumors.
- Typically slow-growing, they rarely present with acute neurological deficits.
Observation:
- A case of osteochondroma originating from the C3 lamina is presented.
- The patient experienced acute quadriplegia after a minor fall.
Findings:
- Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a bony lesion compressing the spinal cord.
- The lesion was associated with spinal cord contusion.
Implications:
- Emergency C3 laminectomy and tumor excision resulted in gradual neurological recovery.
- This case highlights a rare acute presentation of a vertebral osteochondroma.
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