An aggressive vertebral hemangioma in pregnancy: A case report

Abstract

Introduction. Pregnancy-related compressive myelopathy secondary to vertebral hemangioma is a rare occurrence and its treatment antepartum is rare. Case presentation. A 19-year-old North African woman in her 38th week of pregnancy presented with paraplegia that progressed within 2 days after a rapidly progressive weakness of her lower limbs. Magnetic resonance imaging studies showed compression of her spinal cord in front of the fourth thoracic vertebra for suspected tuberculous spondylitis. A Caesarean section was done followed by corpectomy with a bone graft because we intraoperatively discovered a vertebral hemangioma. Pathology showed an aggressive hemangioma. Conclusion: At any term of pregnancy, extensive neurological involvement which is rapidly progressive due to compression should be considered for immediate decompression. © 2014 Slimani et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.