In adult syringomyelia with scoliosis, the morbidity period is long, the syrinx is long, the neurologic symptoms are aggravated, and the surgical outcomes tend to be poor.

IntroductionOsteochondroma is the most common benign bone tumor. However, the incidence of osteochondroma in the spine is reported to be very rare.Case descriptionThis report presents the case of a 57-year-old man who suffered from osteochondroma of the cervical spine. He had bilateral lower extremity pain for 3 years, developing pain of right upper extremity and gait disturbance. Plain radiographic images and computed tomography scans showed bony lesion in right C6/7 foramen and C6 lamina. Magnetic resonance images of whole spine showed severe compression of spinal cord at the C6/7 and spinal canal stenosis at the L3/4 level. First, we performed a surgery of the cervical spine, and removed the tumor covered with the cartilaginous cap. The pathological diagnosis of the tumor was osteochodroma. After the surgery, the symptoms on his right upper extremity improved smoothly. Because the bilateral lower extremity pain remained, a L3/4 partial laminectomy was performed 1 month later, and the symptom improved. At 1 year after his primary operation, we could not find a recurrence of the tumor.ConclusionsIt is very important to perform a complete en bloc resection of the tumor (especially cartilaginous cap) to prevent the recurrence.

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Neurotrophic arthropathy, also called Charcot joint, is caused by various diseases. We came across five cases associated with spinal disorders: two presented with syringomyelia with Chiari malformation, one presented with syringomyelia with arachnoiditis secondary to tuberculous meningitis, one presented with ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) of the lumber spine, and one presented with spinal dysraphism. Neutrophic joints included two knees, two shoulders and one elbow. All spinal disorders were treated surgically but the Charcot joints were treated with arthrodesis in two knee cases and one shoulder case. Solid fusions of arthrodeses were completely achieved using intramedullary nailing to the knee joints and vascularized fibula graft to the shoulder joint. Pathological joints of the shoulder and elbow that did not undergo joint surgery could not be controlled by spinal surgery. Early diagnosis was important for prevention of trauma or sprains to the weight-bearing joints. MRI of the Charcot joint proved useful in confirming the pathological changes in the early destructive stage, and in determining the extent of surgical removal of it for arthrodesis.