Management of symptomatic vertebral haemangioma in a resource challenged environment

Introduction Vertebral haemangiomas are benign lesions and often asymptomatic. They are more common in the thoracic spine where they may become symptomatic with varying presentations. Case reports We present two teenage girls who presented with progressive, nontraumatic paraparesis with no background history of chronic cough or underlying medical illness. Discussion The radiologic investigations were suggestive f vertebral haemangiomas of the thoracic spine. They had surgery: transthoracic approach with corpectomy and fusionwith iliac crest autograft. The posterior stabilisation in the first patient was with Rush nails and circlage wire and only circlage wire in the second patient. The first patient's postoperative recovery was complicated by graft extrusion necessitating re-opening thoracotomy and graft replacement. They are, however, both ambulant at discharge and have remained so 13 and 15 months post-surgery. Conclusion We have presented two cases with rewarding outcomes in the face of 'adaptive' instrumentation due to limited resources. © Springer-Verlag 2010.