Paraplegia secondary to aneurysmatic bone cyst in thoracic vertebra: case study

Introduction: Aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC) is a benign, osteolytic, and locally aggressive bone lesion, and is difficult to treat, with a recurrence rate of up to 30%. When occurring in the spine it can cause compression of neural structures, with eventual neurological deficit. If relapse occurs after initial unsuccessful treatment, ABC becomes more difficult to treat and may result in significant and irreversible neurological impairment. Therefore, selecting the best treatment quickly is critical. Objective: to describe the case of a teenager with COA in the spine and severe neurological deficit. Methods: We report the case of a 17-year-old male who presented spinal cord compression with complete paraplegia of the lower limbs, due to an ABC in the third thoracic vertebra (T3). Results: He underwent posterior decompression, resection, T1–T5 vertebral fusion, selective embolization, and T3 corpectomy with complementary T2–T4 arthrodesis with anterior approach. The patient was discharged from hospital with improvement in pain and full recovery of sensitivity. Conclusion: After 1 year, he was walking independently. Despite being a single case, our study may help other surgeons with the proper management of ABC in the spine in patients with severe neurological deficits.