Osteochondroma causing cervical spinal cord compression

Abstract

Osteochondromas are the most common benign tumors of the bone. They occur in young adolescent patients and are frequently located in the metaphyses of the long bones; they do not grow after skeletal maturity. The incidence of osteochondroma in the spine is reported to be rare. Moreover, patients with spinal osteochondroma who develop symptoms of myelopathy are extremely rare. We report the case of an 8-year-old girl who experienced myelopathy due to spinal compression of the cervical osteochondroma. This case suggests that if a cartilage cap is observed on the spinal canal with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the tumor may extend to the spinal canal, resulting in neurologic dysfunction. Therefore, careful follow-up until bone maturity should be performed.

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