Solitary Osteochondroma Presenting as a Dumbbell Tumor Compressing the Cervical Spinal Cord

We report a case of a solitary osteochondroma as a dumbbell tumor compressing the spinal cord and its surgical strategy. The patient is a 16-year-old female with longstanding posterior neck pain and left arm abduction weakness. She was examined by plain X-ray, three-dimensional-computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and vertebral angiography. The analyses indicated a calcified extradural mass compressing the cord in the C3–4 portion extending into the neural and vertebral foramen with eroded vertebral body. The tumor was successfully excised using a modified combined anterior and posterior approach. Histopathologic study of the resected material confirmed the diagnosis. The postoperative assessment was followed by clinical and radiologically therapy for 5 years after surgery. Osteochondroma arises from enchondral bone but it rarely involves the spine, especially not as s dumbbell type. In this patient, the tumor may have arisen from the neural arch and extended into the extradural and extraforaminal space over a long period. We successfully removed the dumbbell tumor with a combined anterior oblique and posterior approach. However, further observation is essential because of the possibility of recurrence and sarcomatous change.

A Case of Tubular Esophageal Duplication Presenting with Hematemesis / 대한소화기내시경학회지

A 35-year old male developed epigastric pain and hematemesis one week before admission. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy was performed and a communication between the esophagus and another opening was discovered. On a follow-up CT and barium esophagogram, a tubular duplication was suspected and the patient was referred to the department of cardio-thoracic surgery. A pathological diagnosis of esophageal duplication (tubular type) was established. The patient was discharged and is currently being followed up. Esophageal duplication is a rare congenital malformation. Moreover, it has not heen reported in Korea that esophageal duplication presents with hematemesis.

Splenic Lymphangioma: A Report of Three Cases

Splenic lymphangioma is a very rare and benign neoplasm. We report three cases of splenic lymphangiomas found in three women aged 71-years-old, 50-years-old, and 46-years-old. All of the three cases consisted of solitary lesions in the spleen and they were not represented as a part of lymphangiomatosis. Splenectomies were done in all cases and enlarged spleens revealed multicystic masses with variable-sized cysts. Histologically, the cysts were lined by flat endothelial cells and filled with acellular pinkish fluid. The cyst walls mainly consisted of hypocellular fibrous tissue with occasional smooth muscle components. The walls were shared by neighboring cysts, or intervened by interspersed splenic parenchymal components. On immunohistochemical stainings, the lining cells were diffusely positive for CD31 and factor VIII-related antigen (FVIII-RAg), while focally positive for CD34 in all cases.