Aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC) is defined as a benign lesion of bone containing blood-filled channels divided by soft-tissue septa and mostly diagnosed in children and adolescents. In the present study, the case of a 7-year-old girl with spastic paraparesia and left foot drop was investigated. Spinal imaging revealed a large lytic mass in the posterior elements of the T2 vertebral body, which resulted in the partial collapse of the T2 vertebral body, a T1 to T3 dislocation, and a spinal sagittal imbalance. The patient underwent a two-stage surgical procedure including an anterior T2 corpectomy, T1/T2 and T2/T3 discectomy, anterior instrumentation, posterior total tumor resection, and posterior fixation with laminar hooks. Postoperative imaging demonstrated cord decompression and good spinal alignment. Although a spinal ABC is a rare entity, it can occur in any segment of the spinal column and cause cord compression and spinal instability. Thus, proper treatment planning is crucial for total tumor resection to avoid tumor recurrence and correct spinal imbalance.
Keywords: Aneurysmal bone cyst; anterior surgical approach; posterior surgical approach; spinal imbalance.