Open AccessMultilevel oblique corpectomies as an effective surgical option to treat cervical chordoma in a young girl
Author(s) -
Roberto Delfini,
Daniele Marruzzo,
Roberto Tarantino,
Nicola Marotta,
Alessandro Landi
Publication year - 2014
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.v2.i3.57
Subject(s) - medicine , chordoma , cervical spine , surgery , girl , cervical vertebrae , resection , radiology , psychology , developmental psychology
Chordomas are malignant tumors arising from notochordal remnants. They are the most frequent tumors of the spine after plasmacytomas. Only 6% of chordomas are localized to the cervical level. In young patients, chordomas are rare and unpredictable. Despite this, the treatment of choice remains the total resection, as much as possible, followed by proton beam radiation. This case was managed using a precarotid and retrocarotid approach at the same time. The tumor was completely resected with the edges free from disease. The cervical spine was stabilized with an anterior plating C2-C4. Eighteen months after surgery the patient is still free from illness. Multilevel oblique corpectomies are an available and safe option for the treatment of upper cervical chordomas.