[Metastatic plexus papilloma in the paediatric age: a case report and review of the literature].

Introduction: Tumours of the choroid plexus are uncommon, with a peak incidence in the early years of life. Clinically they usually produce intracranial hypertension. Histologically, they can be divided into papillomas and carcinomas. Metastasis rarely occurs in the case of papillomas.
Case Report: An 11-year-old female with an intracranial lesion in the 4th ventricle and a sacral intradural lesion. A sub-occipital craniotomy with total resection of the ventricular lesion was performed and this was followed later by partial exeresis of the spinal lesion. The histological study provides the diagnosis of typical choroid plexus papilloma in the intracranial lesion and choroid plexus papilloma metastasis in the spinal lesion. A review of the literature showed that choroid plexus papillomas with metastatic lesions are very rarely found at the paediatric age. There is no general agreement on the treatment of plexus papilloma metastasis at the paediatric age, expectant management being adopted in two cases and surgical treatment involving a laminectomy in the other.
Conclusions: Choroid plexus papillomas are rare, benign lesions with a good prognosis. Metastasis seldom exists. Preferred treatment is total resection of the lesion. For the treatment of metastases, there is no evidence as to which is the best approach and different alternatives have been suggested.