Open AccessCan neck swelling lead to spinal cord compression
Author(s) -
Emanuele Costi,
Elena Roca,
Fabio Spanu,
Federico Nicolosi,
Giovanni Nodari,
Marco Fontanella,
Pier Paolo Panciani
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
world journal of clinical cases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.368
H-Index - 10
ISSN - 2307-8960
DOI - 10.12998/wjcc.v1.i1.56
Subject(s) - medicine , tetraparesis , spinal cord compression , spinal cord , surgery , neck pain , decompression , cord , spinal canal , radiology , magnetic resonance imaging , psychiatry , alternative medicine , pathology
Spinal cord compression (SCC) caused by cervical spinal canal invasion of a pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma metastasis has never been reported previously. A 59-year-old man, with a history of pulmonary carcinosarcoma, developed over several weeks important neck swelling. Admitted to our division with severe tetraparesis he underwent a cervical spine computed tomography scan that showed a large cervical mass measuring 11 cm × 27 cm × 17 cm with SCC, extending from the occiput to C7. Emergency spinal cord decompression was performed leading to minor neurological improvement. Poor outcome was due to the unusual clinical sign that led to late diagnosis and treatment.