Painful scoliosis secondary to osteoblastoma of the vertebral body

Abstract

A 19-year-old boy with a painful thoracolumbar scoliosis was found to have an osteoblastoma of the body of T12. Excision of the tumour was carried out through a left thoracotomy approach and strut bone grafting was performed. Complete excision of the tumour was facilitated by intraoperative radiographs of the removed vertebra. Following surgery the patient’s pain resolved completely and the deformity was partially corrected. Osteoblastoma of the vertebral body in the thoracolumbar region has not previously been reported. Diagnosis may be difficult unless the significance of the association between pain and the scoliosis is appreciated. The tumour is often not readily apparent on plain radiographs. Therefore, further radiological investigation in the form of a bone and CT scan is necessary to establish the diagnosis. Early excision of the tumour is essential to prevent a permanent structural scoliosis from developing.