Benign fibrous histiocytoma of the lumbar spine

Abstracts

CONTEXT: Benign intraosseous fibrous histiocytoma is a rare neoplasia, characterized by fibroblastic and collagenous fiber proliferation. Pain in the lumbar region is a frequent complaint in many patients, but most of times it is associated to muscular or degenerative causes. CASE REPORT: Here we report a case of a patient diagnosed with benign bone fibrous histiocytoma in the lumbar spine who complained of lumbar pain dating five months prior to diagnosis. The patient was submitted to open transpedicular biopsy in the forth lumbar vertebra, and subsequently, lesion curettage was performed via anterior retroperitoneal and L3-L5 vertebral arthrodesis using a fibular graft. CONCLUSION: Although rare, benign intraosseous fibrohistiocytoma should be taken into consideration when a primary lesion is observed in the spine.

Histiocytoma; fibrous; Low back pain; Spine

CONTEXTO: O fibrohistiocitoma benigno intra-ósseo é uma neoplasia rara, caracterizada por proliferação fibroblástica e fibras colágenas. A dor na região lombar é uma queixa freqüente em muitos pacientes, mas, na maioria das vezes está relacionada com causa muscular ou degenerativa. RELATO DE CASO: Relata-se aqui o caso de um paciente com diagnóstico de fibrohistiocitoma benigno ósseo na coluna lombar que apresentava queixa de lombalgia há cinco meses antes do diagnóstico. Foi submetida à biópsia aberta transpedicular na quarta vértebra lombar ,e, posteriormente realizada curetagem da lesão via anterior retroperitonial e artrodese vertebral de L3-L5 com enxerto de fíbula. CONCLUSÃO: Apesar de raro, o fibrohistiocitoma benigno intra-ósseo deve ser uma das hipóteses quando observamos uma lesão primária na coluna vertebral.

Histiocitoma fibroso; Dor lombar; Coluna

CASE REPORT

Benign fibrous histiocytoma of the lumbar spine

Osmar Avanzi^I; Lin Yu Chih^I; Robert Meves^II; José Donato Próspero^III; Amarildo Brito^IV

Pathology Anatomy Department — Association of the Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo/ Medical Sciences College - Santa Casa de São Paulo (FCMSCSP)**, Spine Group from the Orthopaedics and Traumatology Department*

^IHead of the Spine Group*

^IIAssociate Professor, Consultant, Instructor and Assistant Professor*

^IIIChairman**

^IVFellow of the Spine Group*

^{Correspondence}

SUMMARY

CONTEXT: Benign intraosseous fibrous histiocytoma is a rare neoplasia, characterized by fibroblastic and collagenous fiber proliferation.

Pain in the lumbar region is a frequent complaint in many patients, but most of times it is associated to muscular or degenerative causes.

CASE REPORT: Here we report a case of a patient diagnosed with benign bone fibrous histiocytoma in the lumbar spine who complained of lumbar pain dating five months prior to diagnosis.

The patient was submitted to open transpedicular biopsy in the forth lumbar vertebra, and subsequently, lesion curettage was performed via anterior retroperitoneal and L3-L5 vertebral arthrodesis using a fibular graft.

CONCLUSION: Although rare, benign intraosseous fibrous histiocytoma should be taken into consideration when a primary lesion is observed in the spine.

Keywords: Fibrous histiocytoma, lumbar pain, Spine.

INTRODUCTION

An 85 year-old, female patient, complaining of lumbar pain dating November 1997, obtaining health care in our medical service in April 1998.

Physical examination revealed pain at motion and at percussion on lumbar spine without changes in the neurological status.

Radiographic examination suggested a lithic lesion on the fourth lumbar vertebra (Figures 1 and 2), which was corroborated by computed tomography and magnetic nuclear resonance (Figures 3 and 4).

The patient was submitted to a transpedicular open biopsy on the fourth lumbar vertebra showing a whitish-colored material and little friable, which was demonstrated by anatomicopathological examination as a benign fibrous histiocytoma of the bone.

Curettage of vertebral lesion was performed through retroperitoneal anterior access and arthrodesis between L3-L5 with fibular graft (Figures 5 and 6).

The patient was discharged from hospital without any postoperative complications, but, one year later, she passed away due to a cardiovascular complication.

DISCUSSION

Benign primary tumors of the spine are not as frequent as metastatic lesions⁽¹⁾. Among them, we can highlight the osteoblastoma, the osteoid osteoma, giant-cells tumor, and the aneurysmatic osseous cyst as those mostly affecting the spine⁽¹⁾.

The most common complaint of a patient with vertebral neoplasia is pain, which can be accompanied by a neurological condition or not, because of the invasion on the vertebral duct. Here, the benign fibrous histiocytoma of the bone is included, which is a rare tumor of the spine in which the most common symptom is pain, and where a deformity can exist as a result of the antalgic behavior⁽²⁾.

From a diagnostic point of view, fibrous histiocytoma of the bone is not always characterized by a lesion that is easily noticeable at simple X-ray, to which osseous scintiscan and magnetic nuclear resonance imaging are crucial⁽²⁾.It usually appears as an osteolytic lesion, precisely bordered, sometimes surrounded by reactive osseous sclerosis, sometimes being able to disrupt the bone cortical, not invading adjacent soft parts⁽³⁾.

Such tumor is more often found at diaphysis and epiphysis of long bones⁽³⁾. In the spine, three cases of benign fibrous histiocytoma are referred to in literature in male patients aged 18, 24 and 28 years old respectively, in whom tumor site was at the spinous processes of the second and sixth cervical vertebrae⁽⁴⁾.

At the anatomicopathological examination, a soft mass is macroscopically seen, notably contrasting with remaining osseous structure and the yellowish color provided by the abundance of lipid-retentive cells⁽³⁾.

Microscopic examination evidences a neoplasic growth characterized by fibroblast proliferation and collagen fibers arranged in crossed-over bundles or vortex patterns, the so-called vortical aspect, typical of fibrous histiocytous proliferation, with bundles of balloon-shaped histocytous cells due to the lipid overload, particularly cholesterol esters, also referred to as xanthomatous cells⁽³⁾.

Regarding the differential diagnosis, there are cases in which the histological appearance is undistinguishable from giant-cell tumor, especially when located at long bones' epiphysis⁽³⁾.

Treatment of choice should be curettage with graft insertion or surgical resection of the tumor when located in bones such as the ribs or fibula.

In our patient, lesion curettage was performed with fibular bone graft insertion, progressing to integration.

This case intends to remind that the theory of benign primary lesion presenting the features described here can encompass a rare pathology of the spine, i.e., the benign fibrous histiocytoma of the bone.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We acknowledge the Publication Support Nucleus of the Medical Sciences College Santa Casa de São Paulo NAP-SC for the technical and scientific support for publishing this manuscript.

REFERENCES

Received in: 12/17/03 approved in: 02/02/05

Study conducted at the Pathology Anatomy Department — Association of the Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo/ Medical Sciences College - Santa Casa de São Paulo (FCMSCSP)**, Spine Group from the Orthopaedics and Traumatology Department*

• 1. Rothman RH, Simeone FA. The spine. 4^thed. Philadelphia:Saunders; 1999.
• 2. Clarke BE, Xipell JM, Thomas DP. Benign fibrous histiocytoma of bone. Am J Surg Pathol 1985; 9:806-815.
• 3. Próspero JD. Fibroisriocitma benigno. In: Tumores ósseos. São Paulo: Roca; 2001. p.157-159.
• 4. Bertoni F, Calderoni P, Bacchini P, Sudanese A, Baldini N, Present D, Campanacci M. Benign fibrous histiocytoma of bone. J Bone Joint Surg Am 1986; 68:1225-1230.

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  27 July 2005
• Date of issue
  2005

History

• Received
  17 Dec 2003
• Accepted
  02 Feb 2005