STUDY DESIGN: A case report of intramedullary spinal cord teratoma with remote diastematomyelia in a female adult.
OBJECTIVE: To present a rare case of a dysembryogenic spinal tumor with concurrent split cord malformation and to define the importance of early surgical removal of the tumor.
SETTING: A department of neurosurgery in Greece.
METHODS: A 44-year old woman, presented with progressive lower limb muscle weakness, gait disturbances and dysesthesias in the trunk and lower extremity. She underwent plain radiographs, CT and MRI scan, which revealed an exophytic intramedullary spinal cord tumor at the level of T8-T10 and distant diastematomyelia in the upper lumbar spine (L2-L3). She underwent surgical intervention. The tumor was subtotally removed. No attempt was made to treat diastematomyelia.
RESULTS: Postoperatively, the patient's neurological status started to improve gradually. After 1 year she exhibited better strength in the lower limb muscles and improved sensation. The histological examination demonstrated mature spinal teratoma consisting of ectodermal, mesodermal and endodermal elements.
CONCLUSIONS: In adult patients with intramedullary masses of possible dysembryogenic origin, the whole spine must be examined for additional dysraphic lesions. The choice and the timing of a surgical intervention are strongly dependent on the clinical picture.