Lumbar intraosseous schwannoma: case report and review of the literature.

Intraosseous schwannomas of the mobile spine are extremely rare. To our knowledge, only 21 cases have been reported in the literature. In this report, we present a case of schwannoma involving the lumbar spine, with a review of the literature and discussion of this rare tumor. A 44 year old male presented with a 3 year history of intermittent low back pain, with radiation into the right lower extremity during the last 2 years. Radiographs revealed an approximately 4 x 4 cm irregular mass with marginal sclerosis located at the L5 vertebra, involving the right pedicle and extruding into the spinal canal. The tumor was resected completely and was confirmed as schwannoma by histological examination. At follow up after 12 months, the patient was free of pain and with no recurrence. Despite its low incidence, intraosseous schwannomas should be considered as the differential diagnosis of an extradural mass involving the vertebrae. Surgery is the preferred treatment method and usually carries a good prognosis.