Tenosynovial giant cell tumor in the cervico-thoracic junction

Abstract

Tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TGT) rarely arises from the posterior coloumn of the cervical spine. Most lesions of TGT involve the tendon sheath and joint lining of the small joints of the fingers and hands, and consecutively the knee, ankles and feet, and hips. Rate of extra-articular presentation is about 5-15% in all cases. In this report, a case with paraparesis caused by TGT in the cervico-thoracic junction is presented. The clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of this unusual condition are discussed. In the treatment of TGT of the vertebral column, the main aim should be total surgical excision of the tumor.