Surgical treatment of aneurysmal bone cysts of the spine.

Our goal was to document the presentation, location, diagnostic modalities, preoperative embolization status, treatment, histology, complications, and recurrence rates for aneurysmal bone cysts of the mobile spine. We reviewed our institution's database to identify patients diagnosed with aneurysmal bone cysts of the mobile spine (excluding the sacrum) from 1995 through 2006. Of those 17 patients, three were treated elsewhere and 14 underwent surgical treatment at our institution. Of those 14 patients, the nine (mean age at presentation, 17.2 years; range, 5--32 years) with at least 2 years of follow-up (average, 49.6 months; range, 24--88 months) formed our study group. For those nine patients, we tabulated the presentation, location, diagnostic modalities, preoperative embolization status, treatment, histology, complications, and recurrence rates. Pain was the presenting symptom in all nine patients. The lesion most commonly occurred in the cervical spine (five); two occurred in the lumbar spine, and two occurred in the thoracic spine. Patients underwent resection and combined anterior and posterior spinal arthrodesis (six) or resection and posterior spinal arthrodesis (three). There were four complications: one iliac crest donor site infection, one incidental durotomy, and two neurologic deficits. We noted two recurrences (both within 3 months). Aneurysmal bone cysts of the spine can be successfully treated with surgical resection and instrumentation.