Primary cervical spine carcinoid tumor in a woman with arm paresthesias and weakness: a case report

Journal of Medical Case Reports

Gabriel C Tender³  Daniel Serban²  Mohan Narayanan¹ 

[1] SOM Office of Student Affairs, 2020 Gravier St., 7th floor, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA;Department of Neurosurgery, “Bagdasar-Arseni” Hospital, Sos. Berceni, nr. 12, sector 4, Bucharest 041915, Romania;Department of Neurosurgery, Louisiana State University, 2020 Gravier Street, Suite 744, New Orleans, LA, USA

关键词: Stenosis;    Neuroendocrine;    Cervical spine;    Carcinoid;   

Others  :  825582
DOI  :  10.1186/1752-1947-7-214

 received in 2013-03-17, accepted in 2013-07-04,  发布年份 2013

【 摘 要 】

Introduction

Carcinoid tumors are neuroendocrine neoplasms derived from the enterochromaffin cells. Central nervous system involvement is rare and has been reported either as metastases to the brain and spine or primary tumors involving the sacrococcygeal spine. We report the first case of a primary carcinoid tumor of the cervical spine.

Case presentation

A 50-year-old African-American woman presented with a 4-month history of numbness, paresthesias, and mild left-hand weakness. Magnetic resonance imaging of her cervical spine revealed a homogenously enhancing extradural mass, indenting the cervical cord and expanding the left neural foramen at C7–T1. A C7 corpectomy, en bloc resection of the tumor, and anterior C6–T1 fusion were performed to decompress the spinal cord and nerves and provide stability. Postoperative histopathologic examination and immunohistochemical analysis were consistent with carcinoid tumor. There has been no recurrence at the 6-year follow-up visit.

Conclusions

Primary cervical carcinoid tumor is extremely rare, but should be included in the differential diagnosis of enhancing expansile extradural masses compressing the spinal cord and nerves. Surgical resection may provide a definitive cure.

【 授权许可】

   
2013 Narayanan et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

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