Cement-augmented dorsal instrumentation of the spine as a safe adjunct to the multimodal management of metastatic pheochromocytoma: a case report

Clinical features and prognosis analysis of metastatic spinal pheochromocytoma: A single center retrospective study

•

It is difficult for clinicians to determine appropriate treatment strategies and predict the prognosis of metastatic spinal pheochromocytoma.

•

Surgical treatment is an effective option in treating MSP and plays an important role in improving patients’ quality of life.

•

Extraosseous metastasis, Tomita score, and number of spinal metastases are all potential prognostic factors for OS and PFS.

•

Individualized treatment plans should be developed based on the actual situation of each patient.

•

Through a multi-disciplinary collaboration and reasonable perioperative management, patients with MSP can be treated more effectively.

Purpose

Metastatic spinal pheochromocytoma (MSP) is very rare in clinical practice, with only a few case reports in the literature. Its low incidence makes it profoundly difficult for clinicians to determine appropriate treatment strategies and predict the prognosis. In this study, we analyzed the clinical characteristics, surgical procedure and prognosis of patients with MSP in one of the largest clinical investigations of this entity to date.

Methods

In this study, we conducted a retrospective analysis of the clinical data of 10 patients with MSP who were treated in our department from 2012 to 2020. We performed a total of 14 operations using two types of surgery: open surgery and percutaneous vertebroplasty.

Results

Among them, nine patients underwent 14 spinal operations with satisfactory effect and without any perioperative complications. The mean time from the initial operation to detection of spinal metastasis was 85.3 (12–132) months. The average follow-up time was 27.3 months. Disease progression was detected in nine patients, and eight patients (80%) died during the follow-up period. Univariate analysis showed that extraosseous visceral metastasis (P = 0.022), Tomita score (P = 0.027), and number of spinal metastases (P = 0.024) were associated with overall survival (OS). In addition, extraosseous visceral metastasis (P = 0.030), Tomita score (P = 0.013), and number of spinal metastases (P = 0.026) were associated with progression-free survival (PFS).

Conclusions

Surgical treatment is an effective option in treating MSP and plays an important role in improving patients’ quality of life, due to its efficacy in relieving pain, reconstruction of stability, and restoration of function. Extraosseous metastasis, Tomita score, and number of spinal metastases are all potential prognostic factors for OS and PFS.

Successful treatment of malignant pheochromocytoma with sacrum metastases: A case report

RATIONALE

Malignant pheochromocytoma in the spine is a rare disease without standard curative managements so far. The objective of this article is to report a very rare case of malignant pheochromocytoma with sacrum metastases causing severe lumbosacral pain, which was presented with acute radiculopathy and treated with three operations combined with cement augmentation and stabilization. The management of these unique cases has yet to be well-documented.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 58-year-old man presented with lumbosacral pain, radiating pain and numbness of the right extremity. The patient underwent excision of right adrenal pheochromocytoma in 2010. Imaging studies revealed the density of soft tissues, obvious bony destruction in the sacrum, and significant spinal cord obstruction.

DIAGNOSES

We believe this is the first report of malignant pheochromocytoma with sacrum metastases.

INTERVENTIONS

The patient underwent tissue biopsy and osteoplasty after embolization of the internal iliac artery in January 2015, and exploratory surgery, circumferential spinal cord decompression, and a stabilization procedure via a posterior approach in June 2015 due to spinal canal stenosis caused by cement. Since the position of pedicle screw was not good enough, a revision surgery was performed the next day following the procedures in June 2015.

OUTCOMES

The patient's neurological deficits improved significantly after the third surgery, and the postoperative period was uneventful at the three-year follow-up visit.

LESSONS

We recommend the posterior approach for spinal decompression of the metastatic pheochromocytoma when the tumor has caused neurological deficits. Osteoplasty by cement augmentation is also a good choice for surgical treatment. However, the potential risk of complications in bone cement applications need to be fully recognized.

Malignant pheochromocytoma with multiple vertebral metastases causing acute incomplete paralysis during pregnancy: Literature review with one case report

RATIONALE

We present a rare case of malignant pheochromocytoma with thoracic metastases during pregnancy that presented with symptoms of myelopathy and was treated with circumferential decompression, stabilization, and radiation. The management of this unique case is not well documented. The clinical manifestations, imaging results, pathological characteristics, treatment and prognosis of the case were analyzed.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A 26-year-old pregnant woman with a history of paroxysmal hypertension during the second trimester presented with lower extremity weakness, numbness, urinary incontinence, and back pain. Imaging studies revealed a right adrenal pheochromocytoma, multiple metastases at T8, T11, T12, and the pelvis girdle causing significant multilevel cord compression and significant osteolytic lesions at T11 and T12.

DIAGNOSES

We believe this is the first reported case of metastatic pheochromocytoma of the thoracic spine presenting with symptoms of myelopathy during pregnancy.

INTERVENTIONS

A healthy neonate was delivered by emergency caesarean section at 34 weeks. Subsequently, the patient underwent a circumferential spinal cord decompression and a stabilization procedure.

OUTCOMES

The patient's neurological deficits improved significantly after the surgery, and the postoperative period was uneventful at the 6-month follow-up visit.

LESSONS

This article emphasizes that metastatic pheochromocytoma of the spine, although rare, should be part of the differential when a patient presents with elevated blood pressure, weakness, and urinary incontinence.

Successful treatment of metastatic pheochromocytoma in the spine with cement augmentation

Metastatic pheochromocytoma in the spine is rare, and there is no standard curative management. Treatment via open surgery is often risky in the perioperative period, while osteoplasty by cement augmentation is a less invasive option.We describe 2 patients with recurrence of pheochromocytoma involving the spine and the pelvis who were successfully treated with osteoplasty by cement augmentation. A 31-year-old female underwent cement augmentation for a pelvic lesion 6 months after the resection and screw fixation of an L3 lesion. A 58-year-old male underwent cement augmentation to directly destroy the functional tumor, with a surgical decompression 6 months later. Both patients showed appropriate destruction of the tumor, adequate pain relief, and the decreased release of catecholamine from metastatic lesions.Osteoplasty by cement augmentation may be a treatment option for patients with metastatic pheochromocytoma who cannot undergo appropriate surgery or decline surgery. This represents a safe approach to sustainably relieve pain and stabilize vertebral bodies with metastatic malignant pheochromocytoma.

En bloc resection of a pheochromocytoma metastatic to the spine for local tumor control and for treatment of chronic catecholamine release and related hypertension

Resection of metastatic pheochromocytomas may be complicated by transient postoperative neurological deficits due to hypotension. The authors report the first case of en bloc excision of a spinal pheochromocytoma with associated long-term hypertensive management off all medication. Interestingly, this is the first case of transient hypotension following en bloc resection of pheochromocytoma associated with temporary hypotension-associated neurological decline that resolved completely after correction of hypotension postoperatively. A 23-year-old man with a prior adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma presented with focal thoracic pain. He had a known T-10 vertebral body lesion for which he received chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Imaging demonstrated increased destruction of the T-10 vertebral body, which was concerning for tumor growth. The patient underwent angiographic embolization followed by single-stage posterior en bloc vertebrectomy with placement of a cage and posterior instrumentation and fusion without event. However, approximately 24 hours after surgery, the patient's systolic blood pressure was consistently no higher than 70 mm Hg. During this time, he began suffering from severe bilateral lower-extremity weakness. His systolic blood pressure increased with dopamine, and his strength immediately improved. The patient's oral regimen of adrenergic blockade was stopped, and he recovered without event. Since that time, the patient has been symptom free and requires no antihypertensive medication. The role of en bloc resection for metastatic lesions of the spine is controversial but may be warranted in cases of metastatic pheochromocytoma. En bloc resection avoids intralesional tumor resection and thus may help prevent complications of hypertensive crisis associated with hormonal secretion and extensive blood loss, which are not uncommon with pheochromocytoma resection surgeries. Additionally, the role of en bloc spondylectomy in this setting may allow for metabolic treatment as patients with actively secreting tumors may no longer require antiadrenergic medications.