Abstract
Chondrosarcoma of the spine is a rare condition. In a 45-year follow-up study in one institution, only 21 cases were recorded.
We report on three cases, one a secondary chondrosarcoma and two primary tumours. Two presented with hyper-calcaemic renal calculi following massive bone destruction, and one, which we observed for four years, was a repeat chondrosarcoma. Adjuvant therapy has no role in treatment of these tumours, for which the only curative measure is radical surgery. We performed anteroposterior resection and spinal reconstruction on all three patients.
CT scan shows that all three have been tumour-free for the past 30 months. All three are neurologically intact. Because of pulmonary complications, two have required extended hospitalisation.
In the literature, a five-year survival rate is reported in 50% of cases. Good surgical planning and execution are vital in dealing with chondrosarcoma of the spine.
The abstracts were prepared by Professor M. B. E. Sweet. Correspondence should be addressed to him at The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical School, University of Witwatersrand, 7 York Road, Parktown, Johannesburg, 2193 South Africa
