Suboccipital osteoblastoma: Microsurgical resection of a rare entity

BACKGROUND: Osteoblastomas are rare lesions comprising 1% of all bone tumors. The occipital bone is one of the rarest affected bone, with only 11 cases reported during the last 40 years. CASE DESCRIPTION: Here, we describe the clinical presentation and the radiological features of a suboccipital osteoblastoma that was successfully resected in a 30-year-old man. A short video shows the microsurgical removal of the lesion. There was no recurrence during a 12-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Even if osteoblastomas are benign tumors, a complete removal has to be achieved to reduce the risk of recurrences. This makes necessary an appropriate monitoring of the patient.