Xanthogranulomatous osteomyelitis of the cervical spine.

Background: Xanthogranulomatous Osteomyelitis is a rare form of chronic inflammation described in a handful of cases in the reported literature involving the long bones of the axial skeleton. To the authors knowledge it has not been reported in the spinal column.

Case: We report a case of a 65 year old female presenting with features of metastatic cord compression and an expansile lesion affecting the 5th -7th cervical vertebrae. She underwent vertebrectomy, insertion of an expandable cage and plating to good effect. A histological diagnosis of Xanthogranulomatous Osteomyelitis was made.

Conclusions: We report what the authors believe to be the first case in the literature of xanthogranulomatous osteomyelitis affecting the spine. In this case the patient was managed with a vertebrectomy without the need for antibiotics.