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Cervical intramedullary spinal cord lipoma
Rocco Severino1,2, Paolo Severino2
1Department of Neurosurgery, "Federico II" University, Naples, Italy.
Surgical Neurology International
|November 30, 2017
Summary
Spinal cord lipomas are rare tumors. Surgical debulking of a cervical intramedullary lipoma significantly improved a patient's quadriparesis, demonstrating a positive outcome for this rare spinal cord lesion.
Area of Science:
- Neurosurgery
- Spinal Surgery
- Neurology
Background:
- Intramedullary spinal cord lipomas are rare, comprising less than 1% of spinal cord lesions.
- These tumors often lead to progressive myelopathy and paralysis, such as quadriparesis or paraparesis.
Observation:
- A 39-year-old male presented with progressive spastic quadriparesis.
- Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed a large intramedullary cervical lipoma as the cause.
- The patient underwent partial surgical debulking of the lipoma.
Findings:
- The patient experienced significant neurological improvement following the partial surgical debulking.
- This case highlights the effectiveness of surgical intervention for symptomatic intramedullary lipomas.
Implications:
- Partial debulking can lead to substantial recovery in patients with severe quadriparesis caused by cervical intramedullary lipomas.
- Intraoperative tools like ultrasonography, CO2 laser, and evoked potentials are valuable adjuncts for safe and effective lipoma removal.
