CASE REPORTS   

Chirurgia 2012 October;25(5):359-62

Copyright © 2012 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Thoracic vertebra and rib destruction: what if not cancer?

Alar T. ¹, Kosar S. ², Degirmenci Y. ³, Alkan B. ⁴, Cosar M. ⁴

¹ Department of Thoracic Surgery, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Faculty of Medicine, Çanakkale, Turkey; ² Department of Radiology, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Faculty of Medicine, Çanakkale, Turkey; ³ Department of Neurology, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Faculty of Medicine, Çanakkale, Turkey; ⁴ Department of Neurosurgery, Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Faculty of Medicine, Çanakkale, Turkey

An 18-year-old female presented at our hospital with complaints of fatigue for the last 4-5 months, together with numbness and weakness in both lower extremities in the last month. Neurological examination revealed hypoesthesia in the lower right extremity, paraparesis of bilateral lower extremities, a hyperactive deep tendon reflex (DTR) and positive bilateral Babinski sign. The radiology examinations showed septated multiple cystic lesions, with the largest 36x28 mm, destructing the proximal 3rd rib together with the 3rd thoracic vertebra body, extending to the lower level of 7th cervical vertebra in the subdural region and compressing the spinal cord. The patient was taken to surgery immediately and the described cystic lesions were removed without being ruptured, together with corpectomy to T3 vertebra and partial resection of the third rib. Posterior transpedicular fusion was performed to the T2-6 spaces. There was no peroperative or postoperative complication. Histopathological examination of the material revealed “hydatid cyst”. The patient was followed-up on 10 mg/kg albendazole treatment. Postoperative follow-ups at 1, 2 and 3 months revealed normal function tests and no motor deficit or pathological reflex besides DTR hyperactivity.