Spinal osteochondromas in middle-aged to elderly patients.

STUDY DESIGN

Three case reports of solitary spinal osteochondromas in middle-aged and elderly patients.

OBJECTIVES

To describe the treatment of three rare cases of spinal osteochondromas in patients significantly older than the cases previously reported in the literature.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA

Osteochondromas arising in the vertebral column are considered rare. The mean age of clinical appearance is said to be in the second or third decade of life.

METHODS

Clinical history, physical examinations, plain radiographs, magnetic resonance imaging, myelography, computed tomographic myelography, and histopathologic findings for each case were reviewed in conjunction with previous cases reported in the literature.

RESULTS

Total removal of the tumor was effective in causing the symptoms to disappear.

CONCLUSIONS

Spinal osteochondromas are rare and tend to appear in young adults. Three cases of spinal osteochondromas that were unusual in terms of age at clinical presentation and localization were reported, suggesting a continuous growth of the tumor beyond skeletal maturity.