A CASE OF CONGENITAL INTRASPINAL NEUROBLASTOMA

A case of congenital intraspinal neuroblastoma with paraplegia in a ne wborn is described, and a review of previously reported cases is prese nted. Calcification within the spinal canal and abdominal mass was not ed. At age 75 days, the patient underwent a resection of almost the en tire retroperitonial tumor. A magnetic resonance scan showed hepatic m etastasis, and chemotherapy was changed to a more intensive regimen. T he liver metastasis disappeared; however, neurological signs persisted . A literature review of 38 cases showed 26 patients had a laminectomy and 12 patients did not. Treatment with or without laminectomy was as sociated with a poor prognosis for neurological recovery, suggesting c ord compression must occur antenatally, and irreversible damage occurs before birth. Congenital intraspinal neuroblastoma has a relatively g ood prognosis (survival rate, 91.9%), although complete neurological r ecovery is highly unusual. Based on these findings, the authors conclu de that a laminectomy is not indicated for those patients. Copyright ( C) 1997 by W.B. Saunders Company.