Minimally invasive resection and vertebroplasty for an osteolytic C-1 metastasis of malignant meningioma: case report.

Malignant meningiomas are a rare but aggressive subset of intracranial meningiomas leading to a very limited life expectancy. The occurrence of spinal metastases in these tumors is an even rarer event. The described patient had an intracranial malignant meningioma and developed a symptomatic osteolytic contrast-enhancing lesion in the left C-1 lateral mass suspicious for metastasis. The authors performed a minimally invasive posterior resection of the lesion with vertebroplasty of C-1. Histopathology verified metastasis of the malignant meningioma. The surgical procedure resulted in prompt and permanent pain reduction until the patient died 18 months later. Given the very limited life expectancy in this case, the authors did not consider occipitocervical fusion because of their desire to preserve the range of motion of the head. Therefore, they suggest minimally invasive tumor resection and vertebroplasty in selected palliative tumor patients.