Successful removal of intramedullary spinal cord metastasis: case report

Intramedullary metastatic disease accounts for 5% of CNS metastases. This report describes a 47-year-old female with the simultaneous presentation of primary breast carcinoma and a solitary brain metastasis, both treated surgically. She represented with an increasing hemiparesis due to a spinal cord metastasis 4 years later. The cord lesion was removed microsurgically using a CO2 laser. Postoperatively she made a good recovery and lived independently for 2 years. The rationale for aggressive surgical treatment is discussed.