Solitary fibrous tumor of the orbit. Case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT), which usually presents in the pleura and is thought to be mesothelial in nature, has been recently discovered in extrapleural sites, including the orbit. Presently ultrastructural studies show absence of epithelial-mesothelial features, and reactivity of the tumor cells to CD34 antigen on immunohistochemical analysis suggests the mesenchymal origin of such tumors. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 40-year-old woman had a 4-year history of progressive swelling of her right upper lid and a slow-growing palpable mass of the orbit. CT and MR imaging showed a well circumscribed, nonenhanced extraconal mass with mild erosion of the right orbital roof. The tumor was totally excised. Histological examination disclosed a spindle-cell tumor in a dense fibrous tissue. Immunohistochemistry showed positive staining for vimentin and CD34. We review the clinical, diagnostic, and surgical features of 22 orbital SFTs including the present case. CONCLUSIONS: Orbital SFT generally pursues a slow, indolent, and nonaggressive course, reaches a size up to 4.5 cm, and can be cured by a single excision. It must be immunohistochemically differentiated from other spindle-cell tumors of the orbit.

Cavernous hemangioma of the parietal bone. Case report and review of the literature.

Intraosseous cavernous hemangiomas are a rare finding in the calvarium. It is a benign tumor arising from the intrinsic vasculature of the bone. We report one case observed in a 20 year-old male. The diagnostic peculiarities and therapeutic implications of this lesion are discussed and the available literature on this subject is reviewed. These tumors do not recur once a radical surgical removal is performed.

Balloon-assisted endoscopic retroperitoneal gasless approach (BERG) for lumbar interbody fusion: is it a valid alternative to the laparoscopic approach?

OBJECTIVE: In the last years the use of interbody fusion devices with an anterior spinal lumbar approach has become a common procedure for the treatment of degenerative disc disease and spinal instability. We analysed our series of a simplified endoscopic approach to the anterior spine and made a review of the retroperitoneal endoscopically assisted approach to the anterior lumbar spine in the international literature. METHODS AND RESULTS: From 1999 through 2002, twenty consecutive "balloon-assisted endoscopic retroperitoneal gasless (BERG)" lumbar fusions were performed at San Filippo Neri Hospital in Rome, Italy. The surgical indications included patients with grade I or II spondylolisthesis and symptomatic degenerative disc disease with foraminal stenosis. Fourteen patients underwent a single level fusion (4 cases at L4-L5; 10 cases at L5-S1) and six patients underwent a double level fusion (L4-L5 and L5-S1). Mean operating time was 135 minutes (single level fusion), 175 minutes (double level fusion) and the mean intraoperative blood loss was 177 mL. No perioperative complications were observed and no procedure was converted to open surgical fusion. Patients were allowed to ambulate on the second postoperative day. Fusion was achieved in nineteen patients (fusion rate of 95%) 12 months after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The BERG technique is a safe, effective, simplified, less technically demanding alternative approach when performing ALIF procedures, without the morbidity associated with laparoscopic or traditional approaches.