Severe postlaminectomy kyphosis treatment by total vertebrectomy (plus late recurrence of childhood spinal cord astrocytoma).

A case of recurrent spinal astrocytoma is presented 25 years following initial biopsy and radiation therapy. Extensive laminectomy was performed when the patient was 20 months old. Three years later the patient became paraplegic as the result of progressive severe kyphosis. Late recurrence of tumor was marked by pain onset. In addition to treating the tumor, extensive spinal reconstruction was required to control the kyphosis.