Spinal cord compression due to C4 vertebral arch osteochondroma

SummaryOsteochondromas are usually benign bone tumors found on the metaphysis of long bones. These tumors are rarely located on the spine especially at cervical level. This report presents the case of a 23-year-old man who had previously developed tetraparesis at the age of 13 after infectious myelitis. Recent severe clinical neurological deterioration revealed the diagnosis of osteochondroma arising in the C4 vertebral arch compressing the spinal cord and associated with syringomyelia. Of note in his past history was a treated hip localization. The patient underwent complete surgical excision of the osteochondroma. Postoperative outcome was good with slow clinical recovery from the spinal cord compression. We report this rare cause of spinal cord compression and other cases reported in the literature.