Does a Vertebra Fracture Cause a Tumor? A Dorsolumbar Paraspinal Desmoid Tumor: Case Report

Extraabdominal desmoid tumors are uncommon soft-tissue tumors. The etiology of the tumor is still unclear. Injury is one of the etiological factors of soft-tissue tumors. A 41-year-old female patient who had a traumatic vertebral body fracture on the thoracic spine was treated conservatively. Two and a half years later, she presented a painful, palpable swelling on the thoracolumbar region. In the present report, was discuss the patient, who underwent a surgery to remove the desmoid tumor (aggressive fibromatosis), within the context of the current literature. The literature on desmoid tumor caused by a trauma is rare. This is the first case that demonstrates an extraabdominal desmoid tumor following a spinal fracture. The swelling on the region of the trauma must be examined carefully and desmoid tumor must be kept in mind as a possible diagnosis.

Surgical treatment of Denis type B thoracolumbar burst fracture with neurological deficiency by paraspinal approach

We aimed to describe the surgical technique and clinical outcomes of paraspinal-approach reduction and fixation (PARF) in a group of patients with Denis type B thoracolumbar burst fracture (TLBF) with neurological deficiencies. A total of 62 patients with Denis B TLBF with neurological deficiencies were included in this study between January 2009 and December 2011. Clinical evaluations including the Frankel scale, pain visual analog scale (VAS) and radiological assessment (CT scans for fragment reduction and X-ray for the Cobb angle, adjacent superior and inferior intervertebral disc height, and vertebral canal diameter) were performed preoperatively and at 3 days, 6 months, and 1 and 2 years postoperatively. All patients underwent successful PARF, and were followed-up for at least 2 years. Average surgical time, blood loss and incision length were recorded. The sagittal vertebral canal diameter was significantly enlarged. The canal stenosis index was also improved. Kyphosis was corrected and remained at 8.6±1.4o (P>0.05) 1 year postoperatively. Adjacent disc heights remained constant. Average Frankel grades were significantly improved at the end of follow-up. All 62 patients were neurologically assessed. Pain scores decreased at 6 months postoperatively, compared to before surgery (P<0.05). PARF provided excellent reduction for traumatic segmental kyphosis, and resulted in significant spinal canal clearance, which restored and maintained the vertebral body height of patients with Denis B TLBF with neurological deficits.