Vertebrobasilar insufficiency caused by cervical aneurysmal bone cyst – Case report

• Main Authors: Benjamim Pessoa Vale, Eduardo Leitão de Almeida Lima, Ana Clara Mourão Barreto, Luciano Arruda Macedo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Thieme Revinter Publicações Ltda. 2014-06-01
• Series: Brazilian Neurosurgery
• Subjects: bone cysts aneurysmal; vertebral artery; vertebrobasilar insufficiency
• Online Access: http://www.thieme-connect.de/DOI/DOI?10.1055/s-0038-1626266
• ISSN: 0103-5355; 2359-5922

Aneurysmal bone cysts (ABC) are benign bone tumors of relatively rare occurrence. Most of the lesions occur at long bones, vertebrae and flat bones. However, the cervical vertebrae involvement is uncommon. Occasionally, the ABCs compress the spinal cord and nerve roots. Depending on the level of involvement and the extent of spinal cord compression, a wide variety of neurological symptoms and signs may be noted later, ranging from mild radiculopathy to complete paraplegia or tetraplegia. A case of aneurysmal bone cyst involving the second and third cervical vertebrae in a 15 years old patient, causing compression of the right vertebral artery and subsequent vertebrobasilar insufficiency is reported. We also discuss the clinical manifestations of the vertebrobasilar insufficiency, of the spinal compression, and the surgery treatment performed in this case.