Cervical Spine Aneurysmal Bone Cysts in the Pediatric Population: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Abstract

Cervical spine aneurysmal bone cysts (ABCs) in pediatric patients have not been thoroughly studied. Using PubMed and Google Scholar, a systematic review of the literature was conducted for publications that included patients aged ≤15 years with a confirmed diagnosis of ABC in the cervical spine. Thirty-five studies with a total of 71 patients met the inclusion criteria. Nearly 80% of patients presented with neck or shoulder pain. The axis was the level most frequently involved (34.28%), followed by C5 (24.28%). Posterior elements were most likely to be affected (88.46%) while exclusive involvement of the body was uncommon. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic review of the literature regarding ABCs of the cervical spine in a pediatric population. Spinal ABCs are rarely found in the cervical region, and their treatment remains challenging due to their location, vascularization, and a high overall recurrence rate even with surgical resection.