Marginal En Bloc Resection of C2-C3 Chordoma with Bilateral Vertebral Artery Preservation and Mesh Cage Reconstruction with Review of Previously Published Cases

BACKGROUND: Chordomas arise from remnants of the notochord and occur throughout the neuroaxis. En bloc resection of chordomas can prove especially challenging in the upper cervical spine secondary to the unique structural anatomy and intimate relationship to the vertebral arteries and spinal cord. CASE DESCRIPTION: We describe the resection of a C2-C3 chordoma in a 55-year-old woman in 2-stage fashion with preservation of the vertebral arteries. First, a posterior instrumented fusion and removal of the posterior elements was performed, followed by an anterior transmandibular en bloc resection with cage reconstruction with kick-plate support achievable with off-the-shelf products. CONCLUSIONS: Chordomas in the upper cervical spine pose a surgical challenge but are amenable to en bloc resection. With careful planning and intraoperative adaptability, the surgeon can achieve a suitable reconstruction with off-the-shelf products.