EOSINOPHILIC GRANULOMA OF THE SPINE WITH AND WITHOUT VERTEBRA PLANA -LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP OF 6 CASES

Vertebral eosinophilic granuloma is a rare condition frequently associ ated with vertebra Plana. In this paper we present six patients with e osinophilic granuloma of the spine; three were without vertebra plana, which represents a diagnostic problem. The mean follow-up was 9 years , (range 2 to 23) and the mean age was 10.8 years at diagnosis. All co mplained of pain with no neurological deficit. The lesions were locate d on the vertebral bodies of C4, T9, T10, L1, L2, and L5, respectively . Histologic confirmation of diagnosis was obtained in all patients, t wo by puncture and four by open biopsy. The patients with vertebra pla na (T10, L1, and L5, respectively) were treated conservatively. Long-t erm follow-up demonstrated total healing of the vertebral body in two and partial rebuilding 8 years after diagnosis in one. Patients withou t vertebra plana (C4, T9, and L2, respectively) underwent curettage an d bone grafting. In the patient with T9 location, a T8-10 anterior art hrodesis with autogenous rib graft was performed. The outcome was sati sfactory in all.