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Pediatric Upper Cervical Spine Giant Cell Tumor: Case Report
Mohammad D Alfawareh1, Irfanullah D Shah1, Tamer I Orief2
1Department of Spine Surgery, National Neuroscience Institute, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Global Spine Journal
|July 31, 2015
Summary
A rare giant cell tumor in a pediatric patient
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Pediatric Oncology
- Neurosurgery
Background:
- Giant cell tumor (GCT) of bone is a rare primary bone tumor.
- GCTs typically occur in skeletally mature individuals, with occurrence in the pediatric population being uncommon.
- Cervical spine involvement by GCT is exceptionally rare, particularly in the pediatric age group.
Observation:
- A 13-year-old female presented with scoliosis and an incidentally discovered lytic lesion in the second cervical vertebra.
- Radiological investigations and biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of giant cell tumor of the bone.
- The tumor's location in the axis (C2 vertebra) presented unique surgical challenges.
Findings:
- Surgical management involved a combined posterior occipitocervical arthrodesis and an anterior retropharyngeal cervical approach for complete tumor resection and spinal stabilization.
- Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of giant cell tumor.
- Two-year follow-up demonstrated no evidence of tumor recurrence and stable spinal reconstruction.
Implications:
- This case highlights the feasibility of managing rare cervical spine GCTs in pediatric patients using a combined surgical approach.
- The successful outcome suggests that aggressive surgical resection and stabilization can achieve durable results.
- Further research into the optimal management strategies for pediatric cervical GCTs is warranted.
