A unique case of C2 osteochondroma mimicking cervical dystonia.

BACKGROUND

Osteochondromas are common benign tumors of the bone that are rarely encountered in the spine. Here, a 30-year-old female presented with the gradual 5-month and then subacute 2-week onset of progressive abnormal cervical posturing mimicking dystonia that, on magnetic resonance (MR), proved to be attributed to a C2/3 facet osteochondroma.

CASE DESCRIPTION: Over 2 weeks, a 30-year-old female developed progressively severe neck pain and abnormal posturing of the neck mimicking cervical dystonia. When the MR documented a C2/3 facet joint osteochondroma, the patient was managed with a decompressive laminectomy. The lesion histopathologically proved to be an osteochondroma.

UNLABELLED: Osteochondromas of the cervical spine may present with severe pain and neck deformity that symptomatically may mimic cervical dystonia.