Second cervical root neurofibroma and ipsilateral migraine headache

Extradural cervical spinal schwannoma in a child: a case report and review of the literature

Introduction

Extradural schwannoma arising from high cervical spinal root is a rare entity in children. We report a case of extradural cervical schwannoma in a 14-year-old boy.

Case presentation

Our patient is a 14-year-old Madhesi boy presenting with swelling in the posterior triangle of his neck. The radiological features suggested solitary extradural cervical schwannoma which was confirmed later by histopathological findings. There were no postoperative neurological complications in our patient.

Conclusion

Extradural spinal schwannoma is a benign tumor. Gross total resection with good clinical outcome can be achieved with minimal risks.

Retrospective analysis of peripheral nerve sheath tumors of the second cervical nerve root in 60 surgically treated patients

Object

This study is a retrospective analysis of 60 surgically treated patients with 64 peripheral nerve sheath tumors (PNSTs) at the second cervical (C-2) nerve root. The anatomical subtleties of these tumors and their implications for surgical strategy when compared with other spinal PNSTs and other tumors in the foramen magnum region are reviewed.

Methods

Sixty patients with C-2 PNSTs treated surgically in the Department of Neurosurgery at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and Seth Gordhandas Sunderdas Medical College between 1992 and 2006 were studied. All patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging. Tumors were divided into 3 groups depending on their anatomical location identified during surgery. Those tumors located within or extending into the spinal dural tube were called Type A, those located within the dural tube of the C-2 ganglion were labeled as Type B, and tumors extending laterally into the paraspinal region were labeled as Type C. Follow-up durations ranged from 6 months to 15 years (mean 64 months).

Results

There were 38 male and 22 female patients in the study, who ranged in age from 6 to 62 years (mean 28 years). Nine patients had clinical features indicative of neurofibromatosis (NF). The mean duration of symptoms at the time of presentation was 27 months (range 4 days–5 years). Two patients had no specific symptoms related to the C-2 PNST, 6 patients had only local symptoms such as neck pain or stiffness, and 52 patients had symptoms of varying degrees of myelopathy. There were 5 solely Type A tumors, 7 Type A + B tumors, 31 Type B tumors, and 21 Type B + C tumors. All Type A, A + B, and B tumors were totally resected. Seven of 21 Type B + C tumors were partially resected, and the remainder were completely resected. All patients postoperatively reported varying improvement in their preoperative symptoms. Except for patients with NF who were disabled by other tumors, the rest of the patients resumed their normal life style. There have been no cases of symptomatic tumor recurrence.

Conclusions

The majority of PNSTs located at the C-2 level in these patients probably arose from the large C-2 ganglion and are limited within the dural confines or are interdural in location. In contrast to other spinal PNSTs, the location of C-2 PNSTs is in most cases posterior to the lateral mass of the atlas and axis and the atlantoaxial joint and is exposed to the posterior without any bone cover. Radical tumor resection is safe, resolution of clinical symptoms is rapid, and recurrence rates are extremely low. In a selected number of cases, bone work for tumor exposure and resection can be entirely avoided.

Bilateral posterolateral approach to mirror-image C-2 neurofibromas. Report of four cases

Multiple nerve root tumors are usually present in patients afflicted with neurofibromatosis Type 1. Although rare, upper cervical mirror-image neurofibromas have been reported in the medical literature, and their surgical management has been addressed in several reports; however, little has been mentioned or is known regarding upper cervical or craniocervical stability following resection of these tumors. In this report the authors describe four cases of large mirror-image C-2 neurofibromas resected in two stages via the posterolateral approach. One patient presented with acute neurological deterioration after a biopsy sample had been obtained, whereas the other three presented with gradual onset of lower-extremity weakness over several months. The time interval between the first and second decompressive surgery ranged from 10 days to 12 weeks. There were no surgery-related complications, and all patients recovered motor function in their extremities. During a follow-up period of 16 to 36 months, there was no clinical or radiological evidence of upper cervical spine instability. Although the series is too small to draw any definitive conclusions, in the authors' experience the posterolateral approach provides a direct route for the successful surgical treatment of bilateral craniocervical nerve root tumors without destabilizing the upper cervical segments.

Headache and the cervical spine: a critical review

Headache related to the cervical spine is often misdiagnosed and treated inadequately because of confusing and varying terminology. Primary headaches such as tension-type headache and migraine are incorrectly categorized as "cervicogenic" merely because of their occipital localization. Cervicogenic headache as described by Sjaastad presents as a unilateral headache of fluctuating intensity increased by movement of the head and typically radiates from occipital to frontal regions. Definition, pathophysiology; differential diagnoses and therapy of cervicogenic headache are demonstrated. Ipsilateral blockades of the C2 root and/or greater occipital nerve allow a differentiation between cervicogenic headache and primary headache syndromes such as migraine or tension-type headache. Neither pharmacological nor surgical or chiropractic procedures lead to a significant improvement or remission of cervicogenic headache. Pains of various anatomical regions possibly join into a common anatomical pathway, then present as cervicogenic headache, which should therefore be understood as a homogeneous but also unspecific pattern of reaction.

Outcome of surgical decompression of the second cervical root for cervicogenic headache

OBJECTIVE

There is limited information on the surgical treatment of cervicogenic headache (CH). The objective of this study is to analyze the utility of microsurgical decompression of the second cervical (C2) root and ganglion as a treatment for CH.

METHODS

Thirty-nine sequential C2 root and ganglion decompressions, performed for the treatment of CH on 35 patients at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center during a 70-month period, were analyzed retrospectively. Preoperative factors and intraoperative findings were evaluated with respect to outcome.

RESULTS

At a mean follow-up of 21 months, 12 patients (13 sides) were pain free, and 15 were adequately improved (18 sides). Treatment eventually failed in eight patients. No patient, however, was worse after surgical intervention. There was no major morbidity or mortality associated with the operation. The eight patients with unsatisfactory outcome were evaluated for a possible second operation, and four underwent it. One patient of the four is pain free after 28 months, and two gained adequate improvement at 3 and 12 months. The fourth patient required a third operation but has achieved adequate relief at 6 months. Thus, the overall success rate (either pain free or with adequate improvement) was 90%. No specific prognostic factors could be established, other than the accepted diagnostic criteria and successful anesthetic blockade of the C2 root and ganglion.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that microsurgical decompression of the C2 root and ganglion has some utility in treating CH. The accepted diagnostic criteria and success of anesthetic blockade of C2 should identify the subset of patients with CH predominantly caused by C2 root or ganglion effect at this level, which may favor surgical treatment.