Surgical treatment of eosinophilic granuloma in the thoracic spine in patients with neurological lesions

Abstract

Eosinophilic granuloma is a benign, self-limited condition most commonly seen in children around 10 years of age. There is no known cause concerning its etiology. The lesion is usually solitary and can involve the whole vertebral body with massive destruction and vertebral collapse ('coin lesion') but this appearance is not pathognomonic. Vertebral collapse may lead to neurological symptoms that might be severe. We describe two cases of eosinophilic granuloma, in which the patients have thoracic pain, numbness and weakness in their legs. Radiography, computed axial tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed vertebral collapse and compression of the spinal cord. A biopsy was performed and the diagnosis of eosinophilic granuloma was confirmed by histological analysis. Both patients were treated surgically and they had gradual recovery of neurological deficit after the surgery.