Pediatric Epidural Tumors of the Spine – Experience of a Decade from the Kashmir Valley

Abstract

We present our experience after analyzing retrospectively the clinicopathological characteristics, surgical approaches, immediate and long-term postoperative complications and survival outcome of pediatric spinal epidural tumors treated over a period of 10 years from 2000 to 2009 in a tertiary-care hospital. Our study included benign and malignant tumors. The majority of our patients were boys (14:8). The duration of symptoms was longer in benign lesions. Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma was the commonest malignant tumor and aneurysmal bone cyst was the commonest benign tumor. The mean duration of follow-up was 19 months (range 3–48 months). Most of the patients improved in their neurological grade after surgery; however, the degree of excision had no bearing on the length of survival for malignant lesions.

Compressive Myelopathy due to Osteochondroma of the Atlas and Review of the Literature

“…The mean age of patients who develop osteochondroma in the vertebra is less than 20 years, and it occurs more frequently in males [5,6] - the case we reported was a young boy of 8 years. In our previous series about pediatric epidural spinal tumors, we noticed more involvement of boys than girls [1]. Osteochondromas commonly arise from the tip of the spinous process and project outwards [7]; however, in our case it arose from the inner surface of posterior arch of the atlas and projected inside, causing cord compression.…”

“…Pediatric epidural spinal tumors form a distinct entity of tumors of which lymphoma/leukemia figures at the top [1,2]. Between 1.3 and 4.1% of solitary osteochondromas arise in the spine [3].…”

Pediatric sellar-suprasellar tuberculosis: A case report and review of the literature

“…The authors have suggested hematogenous spreading or direct extension from the nasal sinuses. [ 3 ] According to the 29 pediatric pituitary tuberculosis cases,[ 1 , 2 , 6 , 8 , 10 , 11 , 14 - 16 , 21 , 27 , 35 , 36 ] the age ranged from 2 years to 17 years old, and the mean age in this category is 11.7 years old, affecting females in 58.6% of cases. Only 10.3% of cases had meningitis tuberculosis as a medical history.…”

“…[ 24 ] Other alternatives were used in this review, such as using stereotactic brain biopsy and endoscopic transventricular biopsy. [ 7 , 16 ] The histopathological examinations of pituitary tuberculosis reveal epithelioid cells, granulomas with or without caseation necrosis, Langhan’s giant cells, and lymphocytes. The reticulin staining aids in demonstrating the loss of the pituitary’s normal reticulin pattern.…”