Surgical treatment of cervical vertebral hemangioma associated with adjacent cervical spondylotic myelopathy

• Published in: The spine journal Vol. 13; no. 12; pp. 1774 - 1779
• Main Authors: Hao, Ying-jie, MD, Yu, Lei, MD, Zhang, Yan, MD, Wang, Li-min, MD, Li, Jia-zhen, MD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.12.2013
• Subjects: ACDF; Adult; Aged; Cervical spondylotic myelopathy; Diskectomy - methods; Female; Hemangioma - surgery; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Orthopedics; Pain Measurement; Pain, Postoperative; PEEK; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Recovery of Function; Retrospective Studies; Spinal Cord Diseases - surgery; Spinal Fusion - adverse effects; Spinal Fusion - methods; Spinal Neoplasms - surgery; Spondylosis - surgery; Vertebral hemangioma; Vertebroplasty; Vertebroplasty; ACDF; Vertebral hemangioma; Cervical spondylotic myelopathy; PEEK
• ISSN: 1529-9430; 1878-1632
• DOI: 10.1016/j.spinee.2013.05.048

Abstract Background context Symptoms may vary from simple vertebral pain to progressive neurologic deficit because of cervical vertebral hemangioma associated with adjacent cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CVHAWACSM). Often resistant to conservative medical treatment, surgery has been the treatment of choice for these patients, but the optimal surgical strategy for CVHAWACSM has not been defined. Purpose This study aimed to investigate the methods and efficacy in the treatment of CVHAWACSM. Study design Retrospective review of patients enrolled in prospective randomized trial. Patient sample Procedure was performed in 18 patients (11 men and 7 women) with CVHAWACSM, who were enrolled between January 2006 and September 2011. Outcome measures Radiographic examinations were carried out to assess total filling of polymethylmethacrylate in the vertebral body, fusion rates, implant failure, and general complications. The recovery of neurologic function and neck and shoulder pain relief were measured based on the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) and the visual analog scale (VAS) scores. Methods Eighteen patients had single vertebral hemangioma, including one case at C3 , three at C4 , six at C5 , five at C6 , and three at C7 . The X-ray films showed a typical “palisade” change. According to the clinical and imaging features, there were 12 cases of Type II and 6 of Type IV cervical hemangioma. Standard anterior cervical decompression and fusion with a stand-alone polyetheretherketone cage (filled with autologous cancellous iliac bone) was performed, followed by vertebroplasty. Clinical and radiologic follow-ups were performed. Results The mean follow-up was 24.1 months, with a range of 18 to 36 months. The symptoms of all 18 patients were improved, by varying degrees, and the lesion vertebra did not show anterior bone cement leakage or injuries in the spinal cord and nerves. The forming vertebra did not show fracture or collapse, and there was no recurrence of the hemangioma. During the follow-up, there was no implant loosening, displacement, or breakage. The JOA and the VAS scores were significantly recovered at 3 months after the operation and in the last follow-up, compared with the preoperative level (p<.05). The JOA scores in the last follow-up showed 13 excellent, 4 good, 1 fair, and 0 poor cases. Conclusions This procedure seems to be a safe efficient method to treat symptomatic CVHAWACSM. It seems to serve the purpose of providing vertebral augmentation, cord decompression, and rigid fusion at the same sitting. Although the present outcomes are promising, long-term follow-up studies with larger patient numbers are required to confirm this effect.