[Ganglioneuroma and scoliosis. Report of 3 cases].

This paper is the report of three cases of spinal deformities connected to a paravertebral ganglioneuroma: The first case was discovered during the anterior approach of a thoracic scoliosis of more than 100 degrees at the age of twelve; the child had been treated before the age of one year for a thoracic neuroblastoma; eleven years after removal of the ganglioneuroma and fusion of the spinal curve, the evolution is satisfactory. The second case was similar, but the initial findings during infancy were not well known; the result is good two years after excision of the tumor and fusion of the spine. The third case is simply a progressive kyphosis after removal of a thoracic ganglioneuroma by laminectomy at the age of five years. The sister of this child suffered of a malignant thoracic neuroblastoma. Are pointed out here below the nature of these ganglioneuromas, non-secreting tumors from neuroectodermic origin, their rarity in relation with spinal deformities, the difficulties of their detection by modern imaging, and the requirement of a close survey of these patients and their family.