Mind the gap: an unusual case of a cervical lipomyelocele

Cervical dysraphism is rare, and the 3 recognized subtypes manifest as cystic, skin-covered masses. To our knowledge, no case of cervical lipomyelocele has been reported in the literature so far. We present a case of surgically and pathologically confirmed cervical lipomyelocele in a patient with spondylocostal dysostosis and multiple other congenital anomalies and a brief review of the literature. In this case, magnetic resonance imaging demonstrates fat extension into a dysraphic cervical spinal canal, allowing for preoperative diagnosis. Computed tomography using 3-dimensional reconstruction serves to more clearly characterize the extensive spine malsegmentation characteristic of spondylocostal dysostosis. The use of this technique is suggested to benefit the orthopedic or neurologic surgeon confronted with such complex malformations.