Surgical management of giant multilevel aneurysmal bone cyst of cervical spine in a 10-year-old boy: case report with review of literature

BACKGROUND  Aneurysmal bone cysts are rare occurrences in the cervical spine. Surgical treatment in pediatric patients is a challenge. Complete tumor resection offers the best chance for cure. DESCRIPTION  Diagnosis and surgical management of an expansile aneurysmal bone cyst of the cervical spine involving all three spinal columns in a 10-year-old boy. RESULTS  Surgical treatment included tumor excision and circumferential fusion, and produced no neurological or vascular sequelae. This approach minimizes the risk of recurrence and the possibility of postoperative spinal instability. CONCLUSION  Spinal instability is preferably addressed with reconstruction and stabilization. Cervical aneurismal bone cyst lesions are ideally treated with complete resection to minimize the chance of recurrence. In pediatric cases, defects created by resection should be corrected by fusion to minimize the risk of postoperative instability and growth abnormality.