Primary Ewing's sarcoma of the second cervical vertebra: a rare entity

An 11-year old girl presented with 3-month history of neck pain with no neurological deficit and showed an expansile lesion in C2. Tuberculosis of C2 was suspected and the patient improved on skeletal traction and antitubercular therapy. Three weeks later she presented with neurological deterioration. Investigations showed further destruction of C2 vertebra with cord compression. The patient was taken up for decompression and a highly vascular lesion was found. Histopathology showed Ewing's sarcoma. The patient was subjected to chemotherapy but she eventually succumbed. Tissue diagnosis is the key for malignancies that may mimic tuberculosis of spine in endemic areas. J Pediatr Orthop B 20:408-412 (C) 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.