Preoperative Endovascular Embolisation of the Symptomatic Hemangioma in 7th Thoracic Vertebrae: Case Report

Although, as asymptomatic, they appear in about 10-12% of the worldwide population, vertebrae hemangiomas are symptomatic in about 0.9-1.2% of all the cases.

We showed the case of the symptomatic hemangioma in the 7th thoracic vertebrae in 67 year old patient, that was successfully preoperative embolised. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) detected the tumor in the body of 7th vertebrae with mass effect on the anterior aspect of the spinal cord. Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) imaging describes this tumor as hemangioma that is in the body of the Th7 vertebrae and in the both pedicules. We performed selective and supraselective spinal angiography which showed pathological vascularisation of the tumor, and then the tumor was embolised. The control angiography detected the reduction of the tumor blood vessels, as a sign of the successful embolisation. Ten days after embolisation, the patient went through corporectomia of the Th7 and the stabilization of the thoracic spine was performed. Intraoperative blood transfusion in our patient was 930 mL, while expected blood transfusion during the surgical intervention without preoperative embolisation is about 1600 mL.

Method of choice in conditions with neurological compressive symptoms caused by vertebral hemangioma is surgery for the decompression of the nerve structures. Embolisation of aggressive vertebral hemangioma is recommended and preoperatively performed for the intraoperative hemorrhage reduction and decreasing of intraoperative complications.