Xanthogranulomatous osteomyelitis of the cervical spine.

BACKGROUND

Xanthogranulomatous Osteomyelitis is a rare form of chronic inflammation described in a handful of cases in the reported literature involving the long bones of the axial skeleton. To the authors knowledge it has not been reported in the spinal column.

CASE: We report a case of a 65 year old female presenting with features of metastatic cord compression and an expansile lesion affecting the 5th -7th cervical vertebrae. She underwent vertebrectomy, insertion of an expandable cage and plating to good effect. A histological diagnosis of Xanthogranulomatous Osteomyelitis was made.

CONCLUSIONS

We report what the authors believe to be the first case in the literature of xanthogranulomatous osteomyelitis affecting the spine. In this case the patient was managed with a vertebrectomy without the need for antibiotics.