Giant cell reparative granuloma of the axis

Abstract

Giant cell reparative granuloma (GCRG) is a rare, benign fibroosseous lesion. It typically arises in the mandible and maxilla, and less frequently in the skull bones. We report a case of GCRG of the axis, which is the first to be reported in the literature. A 35-year-old man was admitted to our clinic with the complaint of pain at his neck. There was no neurological deficit. CT and MRI showed a lesion destructing the body of the axis. Biopsy specimens were taken through the transoral-transpharyngeal route. Histopathological diagnosis was GCRG. The lesion was removed subtotally by the same route. We filled the tumor cavity with a bone graft and the patient was discharged with a halo brace without any neurological deficits. The follow-up CT revealed one year after the surgery showed sclerosis at the tumor site. The etiopathogenesis of GCRG is still controversial and the differential diagnosis, especially from giant cell tumor of bone is quite difficult. The treatment of choice for these lesions is complete surgical removal. Some authors recommend radiotherapy if total removal fails.