Chondromatosis of the Lumbar Spine: Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery for This Rare Condition

Synovial chondromatosis (SC) is a rare, benign disease. It usually occurs in large joints such as the hip and knee. Few cases have been reported in the spine, especially in the lumbar spine. It is characterized by the presence of clusters of chondrocytes within the joints and free in the joint cavity. The main symptom is pain. Diagnosis requires a high level of suspicion, and malignancy must always be ruled out. Surgical management is a challenge. We present the case of a patient with an extensive spinal tumor that was managed under the principles of minimal spinal invasion. The exeresis was performed in three different surgical times, achieving the total exeresis of the tumor with low morbidity.