Hereditary multiple exostoses with spine involvement in a 4-year-old boy

Surgical outcomes of spinal osteochondroma in children: A multicentre observational study

BACKGROUND

Spinal osteochondroma (or exostosis) is a rare benign tumour whose clinical manifestations are delayed due to their slow growth and location. Few studies have addressed the characteristics and the diagnostic and therapeutic peculiarities of spinal osteochondroma in children. The objective of this multicentre observational study was to assess the outcomes of a cohort of children after surgery for spinal osteochondroma.

HYPOTHESIS

Surgical excision of spinal osteochondroma in children is not followed by complications or recurrences.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We included consecutive children who had surgery between 2010 and 2018 at any of eight participating centres to remove spinal osteochondromas. The cause, clinical manifestations, and location of the lesions were collected. The surgical outcomes were evaluated after at least 2 years' follow-up.

RESULTS

We identified 22 patients who had surgery to remove 26 spinal osteochondromas at a mean age of 12.8±2.6 years. Among them, 7 had a solitary osteochondroma (SO group) and 15 had hereditary multiple osteochondromas (HMO group). At diagnosis, 72% of patients had clinical signs (spinal pain, n=4; one or more lumps, n=5; and neurological manifestations, n=3). In the HMO group, the diagnosis was made during routine MRI screening for tumours involving the spinal canal. Most osteochondromas involved the cervical spine (n=13), with no difference between the two groups (p=0.9). The lamina was the most common location but 54% of the tumours were growing within the canal (92% in the HMO group). After a mean follow-up of 5.2±4.4 years, no patients had experienced any recurrences or complications related to the disease or treatment.

DISCUSSION

Surgical excision of spinal osteochondromas in children is effective, with no medium-term recurrences. Our results also confirm the low peri-operative morbidity, even when the canal is involved, and the absence of any effect at last follow-up on spinal alignment. All patients with neurological manifestations at diagnosis made a full recovery.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV, retrospective observational cohort study.

Diagnosis, Management, and Treatment Options: A Cervical Spine Osteochondroma Meta-Analysis

Osteochondroma is described as a capped benign bony neoplasm that forms on the outer surface of bone. These tumors affect nearly 6 million people per year. Although osteochondromas most often involve the appendicular skeleton, many involve the spine, with many cases located in the cervical spine. When osteochondromas involve the spine, they can present with a variety of symptoms, including pain, radiculopathy, and myelopathy, which may necessitate surgical treatment. Spinal osteochondromas can be classified into 2 types: multiple osteochondromas in the context of patients with multiple hereditary exostosis (MHE) and solitary osteochondroma or solitary exostosis (SE). Previous reviews have captured only some of the available literature on cervical osteochondromas and have generally focused on either SE or those associated with MHE. The purpose of our review was to provide an extensive review of all previously reported cervical osteochondromas and to compare osteochondroma characteristics, clinical presentation, and outcomes in the context of MHE and SE.

Cervical osteochondroma: surgical planning

INTRODUCTION

Osteochondromas are benign bone tumors which occur as solitary lesions or as part of the syndrome multiple hereditary exostoses. While most osteochondromas occur in the appendicular skeleton, they can also occur in the spine. Most lesions are asymptomatic however some may encroach on the spinal cord or the nerve roots causing neurological symptoms. While most patients with osteochondromas undergo laminectomy without fusion, laminectomy with fusion is indicated in appropriately selected cases of spinal decompression.

CASE PRESENTATION

We present a case of a 32-year-old male with history of multiple hereditary exostoses who presented with symptoms of bilateral upper extremity numbness and complaints of gait imbalance and multiple falls. He reported rapid progression of his symptoms during the 10 days before presentation. Computed tomography of the cervical spine revealed a lobulated bony tumor along the inner margin of the cervical 4 lamina. He underwent cervical 3 and 4 laminectomies, partial cervical 2 and 5 laminectomies and cervical 3-5 mass screw placement. Pathology was consistent with osteochondroma. The patient's symptoms had markedly improved at follow-up.

CONCLUSION

According to our literature review, osteochondromas most commonly occur at cervical 2 and cervical 5. We present a case of an osteochondroma at a less common level, cervical 4. While most osteochondromas are addressed with laminectomy without arthrodesis, the decision of whether arthrodesis is necessary should be considered in all patients with osteochondroma as with any cervical decompression.

Late presentation of spinal cord compression in hereditary multiple exostosis: case reports and review of the literature

INTRODUCTION

Osteochondromas are usually found in the long bones of patients with hereditary multiple exostoses (HME). The spine is reported to be involved in over 50% of cases, but few of these patients are symptomatic as the result of an existing spinal exostosis.

METHODS

We reviewed the current literature in order to find the right approach to patients with HME-complicated spinal exostosis and describe three paediatric patients that were diagnosed late with spinal cord compression due to cervical exostosis.

RESULTS

Our three cases were all late presentations with neurology and unfortunately had minimal improvement of neurology after the lesion was surgically removed. There is general agreement that late presentation of spinal cord injury due to osteochondromas involving the cervical spine may cause severe and irreversible neurological sequelae. Our literature review revealed that there are no clear-cut guidelines to develop more comprehensive screening measures for these patients.

CONCLUSIONS

A high index of suspicion is the most important factor for correct diagnosis and appropriate management. Physicians who treat HME should bear in mind that thorough history taking and a neurological examination at follow up are essential for these patients. Clearer guidelines for the development of more comprehensive screening programmes are essential.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV.

Solitary Osteochondroma of the Spine-A Case Series: Review of Solitary Osteochondroma With Myelopathic Symptoms

STUDY DESIGN

Case series and literature review.

OBJECTIVE

There is a growing body of literature supporting that osteochondroma of the spine may not be as rare as previously documented. The purpose of this study was to perform an updated review and present our experience with 4 cases of solitary osteochondroma of the spine, including surgical treatment and subsequent outcomes.

METHODS

A review of 4 cases and an updated literature review.

RESULTS

All 4 cases were diagnosed as solitary osteochondroma of the spine based on clinical and histopathologic findings. Majority of the lesions arose from the posterior column with one case showing extension into the middle column with clinical neurologic sequelae. Treatment strategies for all cases included complete marginal excision of the lesions using a posterior approach. All 4 cases showed no radiographic evidence of recurrence. The literature review yielded 132 cases of solitary osteochondroma and 17 case associated with multiple hereditary exostosis. Out of the 132 cases, 36 presented with myelopathic symptoms.

CONCLUSION

Osteochondroma of the spine may not be as rare as previously reported. The best approach to treatment in almost all symptomatic cases include wide surgical excision of the tumor. This should include complete resection of the cartilaginous cap of the tumor in an effort to prevent recurrence. When excision is performed properly, the outcomes are excellent with very low recurrence of the tumor.

Bilateral Scapulothoracic Osteochondromas in a Patient With Hereditary Multiple Exostosis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Hereditary multiple exostosis (HME) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by two or more benign growing, cartilage capped tumors of long bones called osteochondromas. If abnormal growth and clinical symptoms of osteochondromas newly appear in adults, malignant transformation of the usually benign growing tumors should be suspected and diagnostic testing should be initiated. Against the background of hypothesized higher malignant transformation of osteochondromas into chondrosarcoma in individuals with shoulder exostoses, we report a case of bilateral scapulothoracic osteochondromas in a patient suffering from HME. A 60-year-old female with HME complained of chest pain while being hospitalized for bilateral femoral fractures. A computed tomography scan of the chest was performed to rule out pulmonary embolism. However, bilateral osteochondromas in the scapulothoracic spaces were detected. Due to absence of radiographic evidences for malignant transformation in the patient, invasive diagnostic procedures such as biopsy and histological examination were recommended in order to exclude malignant transformation of both osteochondromas. Physicians should be aware that patients with HME who present with shoulder pain should be examined for osteochondromas in the scapulothoracic space. Due to possible sarcomatous transformation, regular follow-ups are necessary for adolescents and adults.

Cervical cord compression in pediatrics with hereditary multiple exostoses: a report of two cases and review of the literature

Hereditary multiple exostoses (HME) generally involves the long tube bone or flat bone. Spinal involvement is rare, particularly in young children. We report two cases of children with HME who have myelopathy because of cervical spine involvement and then review the literature to clarify the clinical characteristics of spinal cord HME involvement in young children. In our cases and previously reported cases, neurological deficits remained in cases with acute onset, but other cases with slow onset showed almost complete recovery after surgery. This suggests that the assessment of spinal lesions before trauma is very important.

Osteochondroma of Upper Dorsal Spine Causing Spastic Paraparesis in Hereditary Multiple Exostosis: A Case Report

Osteochondroma of the spine is rare. It may present in solitary or multiple form (hereditary multiple exostoses). Herein, we report a case of an 18-year-old male who was diagnosed with thoracic osteochondroma, originating from the D4 vertebra with intraspinal extension and spinal cord compression in hereditary multiple exostosis. The patient was managed with surgery. Complete tumour excision was done to relieve cord compression and recurrence. Postoperatively the patient's symptoms were improved. At 2.5 year follow-up patient is doing well without any recurrence.

Cervical myelopathy caused by disc herniation at the segment of existing osteochondroma in a patient with hereditary multiple exostoses

Hereditary multiple exostoses (HME) is a benign hereditary disorder characterized by multiple osteochondromas. Osteochondroma appears occasionally in the spinal column as a part of HME. A 37-year-old man presented with a history of HME and cervical compressive myelopathy caused by intraspinal osteochondroma arising from the lamina of the C5 and disc herniation at the C5-6. He was treated by open-door laminoplasty at the C5 and C6 with excision of the tumor. The neurological symptoms were immediately relieved after surgery. Magnetic resonance images demonstrated a sufficient decompression of the spinal cord with a spontaneous regression of the herniated disc at one year after surgery. There was no recurrence of the tumor and no appearance of kyphosis and segmental instability of the cervical spine on postoperative imaging studies for three years after surgery. The patient could be successfully treated by laminoplasty with excision of the tumor and without removal of the herniated disc.

Spinal stenosis frequent in children with multiple hereditary exostoses

PURPOSE

Children with multiple hereditary exostoses (MHE) have numerous osteochondromas, with the most prominent lesions typically over the appendicular skeleton. A recent report noted a high rate of intracanal lesions in this patient population and recommended preventative spinal screening with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT). We sought to evaluate the prevalence of spinal stenosis from intracanal osteochondromas at our pediatric orthopedic center in order to evaluate if routine screening is warranted.

METHODS

All pediatric patients treated for MHE were retrospectively identified. Records were reviewed to determine demographics, previous orthopedic surgery, and indication and results of axial spine imaging (CT or MRI). Imaging studies were reviewed to evaluate the presence of intracanal and compressive spinal lesions.

RESULTS

Between 1990 and 2011, axial imaging was performed in nine patients with MHE due to concerns of pain, weakness, and/or dizziness. These patients had moderate disease involvement, with a mean of 4.9 previous orthopedic surgeries to address skeletal osteochondromas. Two patients with MHE had cervical spinal stenosis secondary to intracanal osteochondromas. Both children successfully underwent spinal decompression. Thus, of our MHE population undergoing axial imaging, 22 % were noted to have intracanal lesions.

CONCLUSIONS

Our experience reveals a >20 % rate of compressive intracanal osteochondromas in MHE patients undergoing spinal imaging. These two patients represent 5 % of the MHE patients treated at our center. These lesions may be slow growing, and significant consequences can occur if not identified promptly. Thus, we confer that routine axial screening of the spinal canal may be warranted in these children.

A 5-year-old boy with a large hereditary multiple exostoses lump grown into thoracic cavity

Multiple exostosis is associated with the autosomal dominant disorder and hereditary multiple exostoses (HMEs), are rarely growing around the ribs and the formation of a large lump into the thoracic cavity. It's generally agreed that when there are no symptoms present, a HME patient could either avoid any treatment or postpone the operation until adolescence. We present a 5-year-old boy with 4 cm × 3.5 cm HMEs lump invasion into the thoracic cavity, with symptoms of chest distress and right chest pain. This patient received video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and a the lump and 1 cm rib involved was resected. During a 2 years follow-up, the patient remained in good condition without recurrence and complications.

Spinal cord compression secondary to a thoracic vertebral osteochondroma

The authors describe a case of spinal cord compression due to an osteochondroma arising from the T-6 vertebral body in a patient with hereditary multiple exostoses. This 16-year-old boy presented with spastic paraparesis. Surgical decompression was followed by resolution of the neurological impairments. Osteochondroma is the most common bone tumor. The distribution of osteochondromas greatly favors the extremities and these lesions rarely arise in the vertebral column. Osteochondromas occur in 2 distinct clinical settings--as solitary or multiple tumors, the latter being often associated with hereditary multiple exostoses. Osteochondromas are more commonly found in the posterior elements of the vertebrae. Intraspinal presentation of these tumors is usually limited to the cervical regions, with few tumors reported in the thoracic vertebrae. Based on the presented case and literature review, the authors conclude that osteochondromas of the thoracic spine that cause myelopathy usually arise from the vertebral body and pedicle. Prompt and systematic radiological investigations are important in planning surgical management. Surgical excision usually yields good results.