Capillary hemangioma of the spinal cord

2000 ◽  
Vol 93 (1) ◽  
pp. 148-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federico Roncaroli ◽  
Bernd W. Scheithauer ◽  
William E. Krauss
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spinal Nerve ◽  
Capillary Hemangioma ◽  
Benign Lesions ◽  
Spinal Cord Tumors ◽  
Nerve Roots ◽  
Intramedullary Tumors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Presenting Symptoms ◽  
Feeding Vessels

✓ The authors describe the clinicopathological features of four cases of capillary hemangioma of the spinal cord. All occurred in adult patients. The presenting symptoms were similar to those of more common intramedullary tumors. Radiologically, they resemble other vascular spinal cord tumors. All patients underwent surgery, and the outcomes varied. Histologically, the lesions resembled capillary hemangioma of skin or of soft tissue that is composed of lobules of small capillaries with associated feeding vessels, all enveloped by a delicate fibrous capsule. Capillary hemangiomas of the central and peripheral nervous system are extremely rare. Although examples of these lesions have been described as occurring in the dura mater and in peripheral nerve, including spinal nerve roots, none has occurred within the spinal cord. Knowledge of their existence may help practitioners to avoid misdiagnosis of tumor and resultant overtreatment of these benign lesions.

Radical resection of intramedullary spinal cord tumors in adults

1985 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 492-499 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul R. Cooper ◽  
Fred Epstein
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Neurological Deficit ◽  
Radical Resection ◽  
Spinal Cord Tumors ◽  
Intramedullary Tumors ◽  
Duration Of Symptoms ◽  
Intramedullary Spinal Cord ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Past ◽  
Fine Print

✓ The management of patients with intramedullary spinal cord tumors is controversial. In the past, these tumors have often been treated with biopsy or subtotal removal followed by irradiation — a therapy that is usually associated with early tumor recurrence and progressive neurological impairment. In an attempt to improve on the outcome of patients with intramedullary tumors, the authors performed radical resection in most of the 29 adult patients who had surgery for these tumors within the past 30 months. The mean duration of symptoms was 9½ years, and all patients presented because of progressive neurological deficit. Patients were evaluated with metrizamide myelography-computerized tomography scanning and intraoperative ultrasound imaging to define the site of the tumor and cystic components. There were 14 ependymomas, 11 astrocytomas, two lipomas, and one case each of intramedullary fibrosis and astrogliosis. Solid tumor spanned a mean of five spinal cord segments and 16 tumors were associated with cysts. Twenty tumors were in the cervical and/or cervicothoracic regions. Total removal was achieved in 14 patients and “99% removal” in seven others. In 21 of 29 patients (72%), the neurological condition was stabilized or improved as a result of the operation. Postoperative deterioration occurred for the most part in patients who could not walk or who had minimal motor function at the time of operation, and these patients are no longer considered as operative candidates. Radical resection of intramedullary tumors can be achieved, with stabilization or improvement of neurological deficit in the majority of patients.

scholarly journals Tethering of the spinal cord in mouse fetuses and neonates with spina bifida

2003 ◽  
Vol 99 (2) ◽  
pp. 206-213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorothea Stiefel ◽  
Takashi Shibata ◽  
Martin Meuli ◽  
Patrick G. Duffy ◽  
Andrew J. Copp
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Spina Bifida ◽  
Mouse Model ◽  
Spinal Nerve ◽  
Nerve Roots ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Spina Bifida Aperta ◽  
Mouse Fetuses ◽  
Spinal Cord Tethering ◽  
Fine Print

Object. Tethering of the spinal cord is a well-known complication in humans with spina bifida aperta or occulta. Its pathogenesis consists of a pathological fixation of the spinal cord resulting in traction on the neural tissue which, in turn, leads to ischemia and progressive neurological deterioration. Although well established in humans, this phenomenon has not been described in animal models of spina bifida. Methods. A fetal mouse model with naturally occurring, genetically determined spina bifida was produced by generating double mutants between the curly tail and loop-tail mutant strains. Microdissection, labeling with 1,1′-dioctadecyl-3,3,3,′,3′-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate, immunohistochemistry for neurofilaments, H & E staining of histological sections, and whole-mount skeletal preparations were performed and comparisons made among mutant and normal fetuses. Normal fetuses exhibited the onset of progressive physiological ascent of the spinal cord from embryonic Day 15.5. Spinal cord ascent resulted, by embryonic Day 18.5, in spinal nerve roots that pass caudolaterally from the spinal cord toward the periphery. In contrast, fetuses with spina bifida exhibited spinal cord tethering that resulted, at embryonic Day 18.5, in nerve roots that run in a craniolateral direction from the spinal cord. The region of closed spinal cord immediately cranial to the spina bifida lesion exhibited marked narrowing, late in gestation, suggesting that a potentially damaging stretch force is applied to the spinal cord by the tethered spina bifida lesion. Conclusions. This mouse model provides an opportunity to study the onset and early sequelae of spinal cord tethering in spina bifida.

Hemangioma of spinal nerve root

1999 ◽  
Vol 91 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federico Roncaroli ◽  
Bernd W. Scheithauer ◽  
William E. Krauss
Keyword(s):  
Nerve Root ◽  
Cauda Equina ◽  
Spinal Nerve ◽  
Nerve Fibers ◽  
Capillary Hemangioma ◽  
Spinal Nerve Root ◽  
Spinal Nerve Roots ◽  
Nerve Roots ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fine Print

Object. Hemangiomas of the spinal nerve roots are rare. Only 12 cases have been reported in the literature, all since 1965. These lesions occurred in adults, primarily in males, and were located in the cauda equina. Of the 12 lesions, eight were cavernous hemangiomas. The authors report here the clinicopathological features of 10 cases of hemangioma of the spinal nerve root, nine of which were of the capillary type. Methods. The group included six men and four women who ranged in age from 40 to 62 years. The majority of patients presented with pain and weakness. One patient also experienced worsening of pain during menses. In all cases, gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging or computerized tomography myelography demonstrated a discrete intraspinal extramedullary mass. Administration of contrast agent resulted in uniform, intense enhancement. A gross-total resection was achieved in all but one case; in most cases, it was necessary to sacrifice the parent nerve root. Preoperative symptoms and signs improved in nine cases. On histological examination, all but one tumor, a spindle-cell hemangioendothelioma, were shown to be ordinary capillary hemangiomas. Two lesions exhibited a cavernous component, and five showed a partly solid growth pattern resembling juvenile capillary hemangioma. In all cases, the relationship with the nerve root was histologically confirmed. The tumor—nerve relation varied. The intact nerve was displaced by the epineurial mass in three cases. The fascicles appeared separated in six cases, and individual nerve fibers were seen throughout one lesion with endoneurial involvement. Conclusions. Hemangiomas of spinal nerve roots pose a challenging diagnostic problem. Knowledge of their existence is relevant in that they may mimic tumors and are amenable to surgical treatment.

Lumbosacral intersegmental epispinal axons and ectopic ventral nerve rootlets

1987 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 269-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wesley W. Parke ◽  
Ryo Watanabe
Keyword(s):  
Nerve Root ◽  
Sensory Nerve ◽  
Conus Medullaris ◽  
Spinal Nerve ◽  
Nerve Fibers ◽  
Ventral Horn ◽  
Spinal Nerve Roots ◽  
Nerve Roots ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Almost All

✓ An epispinal system of motor axons virtually covers the ventral and lateral funiculi of the human conus medullaris between the L-2 and S-2 levels. These nerve fibers apparently arise from motor cells of the ventral horn nuclei and join spinal nerve roots caudal to their level of origin. In all observed spinal cords, many of these axons converged at the cord surface and formed an irregular group of ectopic rootlets that could be visually traced to join conventional spinal nerve roots at one to several segments inferior to their original segmental level; occasional rootlets joined a dorsal nerve root. As almost all previous reports of nerve root interconnections involved only the dorsal roots and have been cited to explain a lack of an absolute segmental sensory nerve distribution, it is believed that these intersegmental motor fibers may similarly explain a more diffuse efferent distribution than has previously been suspected.

scholarly journals Surgical treatment of primary intramedullary spinal cord tumors in adult patients

2008 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario Augusto Taricco ◽  
Vinicius Monteiro de Paula Guirado ◽  
Ricardo Bragança de Vasconcellos Fontes ◽  
José Pindaro Pereira Plese
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Previous Treatment ◽  
Cervical Cord ◽  
Spinal Cord Tumors ◽  
Intramedullary Tumors ◽  
Treatment Protocols ◽  
Intramedullary Spinal Cord ◽  
Neurological Outcomes ◽  
Neurological Morbidity ◽  
Microsurgical Resection

BACKGROUND: Primary spinal cord intramedullary tumors are rare and present with insidious symptoms. Previous treatment protocols emphasized biopsy and radiation/chemotherapy but more aggressive protocols have emerged. OBJECTIVE: To report our experience. METHOD: Forty-eight patients were diagnosed with primary intramedullary tumors. The cervical cord was involved in 27% and thoracic in 42% of patients. Complete microsurgical removal was attempted whenever possible without added neurological morbidity. RESULTS: Complete resection was obtained in 33 (71%) patients. Neurological function remained stable or improved in 32 patients (66.7%). Ependymoma was the most frequent tumor (66.7%). CONCLUSION: Neurological outcome is superior in patients with subtle findings; aggressive microsurgical resection should be pursued with acceptable neurological outcomes.

scholarly journals Application of multishot diffusion tensor imaging in spinal cord tumors

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-64
Author(s):  
Jiefei Li ◽  
Le He ◽  
Yuqi Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Diffusion Tensor Imaging ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Preoperative Imaging ◽  
Spinal Cord Tumors ◽  
Intramedullary Tumors ◽  
Routine Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Diffusion Tensor Imaging Dti

Objective: To explore the usefulness of multishot diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) for evaluating the neurological function of patients with spinal cord tumors Methods: Routine magnetic resonance imaging and multishot DTI were performed in five patients with spinal cord tumors. The values of fractional anisotropy (FA) and radial diffusivity (RD) were analyzed. Results: Multishot DTI of spinal cord tumors allowed for defining the margins of tumors and determining the relationship of tumors with the adjacent white matter structures of the spinal cord. Multishot DTI demonstrated significantly increased RD and decreased FA of spinal cord tumors compared with those of the normal spinal cord. Conclusions: Multishot DTI is a potentially useful modality for differentiating resectable tumors from nonresectable ones based on preoperative imaging alone as well as for differentiating intramedullary tumors from extramedullary ones. Further prospective studies are warranted to confirm these results.

Spinal arachnoid cysts

1974 ◽  
Vol 41 (6) ◽  
pp. 728-735 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacques J. Palmer
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Early Diagnosis ◽  
Arachnoid Cysts ◽  
Definitive Treatment ◽  
Spinal Cord Tumors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Precise Diagnosis ◽  
Fine Print

✓ Six cases of symptomatic spinal arachnoid cysts are presented. All lesions but one were intradural. Although these cysts are frequently indistinguishable clinically from spinal cord tumors, their correct early diagnosis by myelography and treatment by excision or marsupialization gives gratifying results. The authors emphasize that precise diagnosis and definitive treatment are sometimes delayed because of intermittent symptoms.

Extramedullary Spinal Cord Tumors

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Bradley Elder ◽  
Ahmed Mohyeldin
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Specific Area ◽  
Spinal Cord Tumors ◽  
Central Nervous System Neoplasms ◽  
Case Presentation ◽  
Presenting Symptoms ◽  
Spine Tumors ◽  
Nervous System Neoplasms

Tumors of the spine that occur within the dura but outside of the spinal cord are characterized as intradural but extramedullary spine tumors. The vast majority of these tumors are benign. This chapter uses a case presentation to present diagnostic and management pearls for this anatomic category of central nervous system neoplasms. These tumors are typically diagnosed due to presenting symptoms including pain or neurologic symptoms that localize the tumor to a specific area of the spine. Management is typically surgical. Some types of tumors are associated with syndromes such as neurofibromatosis. This chapter also discusses potential pitfalls and complications and their management.

Utility of neurophysiological monitoring using dorsal column mapping in intramedullary spinal cord surgery

2010 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 623-628 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel S. Yanni ◽  
Sedat Ulkatan ◽  
Vedran Deletis ◽  
Ignacio J. Barrenechea ◽  
Chandranath Sen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Evoked Potential ◽  
Dorsal Column ◽  
Posterior Column ◽  
Anatomical Landmarks ◽  
Spinal Cord Tumors ◽  
Intramedullary Tumors ◽  
Intramedullary Spinal Cord ◽  
Strip Electrode ◽  
Spinal Cord Surgery

Object Intramedullary spinal cord tumors can displace the surrounding neural tissue, causing enlargement and distortion of the normal cord anatomy. Resection requires a midline myelotomy to avoid injury to the posterior columns. Locating the midline for myelotomy is often difficult because of the distorted anatomy. Standard anatomical landmarks may be misleading in patients with intramedullary spinal cord tumors due to cord rotation, edema, neovascularization, or local scar formation. Misplacement of the myelotomy places the posterior columns at risk of significant postoperative disability. The authors describe a technique for mapping the dorsal column to accurately locate the midline. Methods A group of 10 patients with cervical and thoracic intramedullary spinal cord lesions underwent dorsal column mapping in which a strip electrode was used to define the midline. After the laminectomy and durotomy, a custom-designed multielectrode grid was placed on the exposed dorsal surface of the spinal cord. The electrode is made up of 8 parallel Teflon-coated stainless-steel wires (76-μm diameter, spaced 1 mm apart) embedded in silastic with each of the wires stripped of its insulating coating along a length of 2 mm. This strip electrode maps the amplitude gradient of conducted spinal somatosensory evoked potentials elicited by bilateral tibial nerve stimulation. Using these recordings, the dorsal columns are topographically mapped as lying between two adjacent numbers. Results The authors conducted a retrospective analysis of the preoperative, immediate, and short-term postoperative neurological status, focusing especially on posterior column function. There were 8 women and 2 men whose mean age was 52 years. There were 4 ependymomas, 1 subependymoma, 1 gangliocytoma, 1 anaplastic astrocytoma, 1 cavernous malformation, and 2 symptomatic syringes requiring shunting. In all patients the authors attempted to identify the midline by using anatomical landmarks, and then proceeded with dorsal column mapping to identify the midline electrophysiologically. In the 2 patients with syringomyelia and in 5 of the patients with tumors, the authors were unable to identify the midline anatomically with any certainty. In 2 patients with intramedullary tumors, they were able to identify the midline anatomically with certainty. Dorsal column mapping allowed identification of the midline and to confirm the authors' anatomical localization. In 2 patients with intramedullary tumors, posterior column function was preserved only on 1 side. All other patients had intact posterior column function preoperatively. Conclusions Dorsal column mapping is a useful technique for guiding the surgeon in locating the midline for myelotomy in intramedullary spinal cord surgery. In conjunction with somatosensory evoked potential, motor evoked potential, and D-wave recordings, we have been able to reduce the surgical morbidity related to dorsal column dysfunction in this small group of patients.

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