Thoracic lipomeningocele associated with diastematomyelia, tethered spinal cord, and hydrocephalus. Case report

J Neurosurg. 2007 May;106(5 Suppl):394-7. doi: 10.3171/ped.2007.106.5.394.

Abstract

Accessory human tails are uncommon malformations consisting of meningeal and neural structures and possibly occult spinal dysraphism (pseudotails). The thoracic location of a lipomeningocele constituting a pseudotail is very rare. The authors report the case of a young boy harboring a thoracic dorsal appendage consisting of a lipomeningocele and a dermoid cyst that was complicated by the presence of diastematomyelia, tethered spinal cord, syringomyelia, and mild hydrocephalus. The preoperative moderate ventricular dilation was decompressed by the surgical repair of the spinal malformation and required a specific treatment. The authors discuss the rare association of these clinical entities and conclude that complete spine and brain neuroimaging studies are necessary for the correct surgical planning of this kind of malformation.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adipose Tissue
  • Child, Preschool
  • Dermoid Cyst / complications
  • Dermoid Cyst / surgery
  • Humans
  • Hydrocephalus / complications*
  • Hydrocephalus / diagnosis
  • Hydrocephalus / surgery
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Meningocele / complications*
  • Meningocele / pathology
  • Meningocele / surgery
  • Neural Tube Defects / complications*
  • Neural Tube Defects / diagnosis
  • Neural Tube Defects / surgery
  • Neurosurgical Procedures
  • Spinal Dysraphism / complications
  • Syringomyelia / complications*
  • Syringomyelia / diagnosis
  • Syringomyelia / surgery
  • Thoracic Vertebrae
  • Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt