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Extradural arachnoid cysts in children

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Abstract

Background

Extradural arachnoid cysts in the spine are uncommon causes of spinal cord compression in the pediatric population that are thought to arise from congenital defects in the dura mater. Most reports describe such cysts as communicating with the intrathecal subarachnoid space through a small defect in the dura. Excision of the cyst with obliteration of the communicating dural defect is the mainstay of treatment in symptomatic patients. Solitary extradural arachnoid cysts have been reported in several studies, but multiple extradural arachnoid cysts are very rarely reported in children.

Materials and methods

The authors report a case of multiple extradural spinal arachnoid cysts in a 14-year-old boy who presented progressive lower extremity weakness, myelopathy, and severe gait ataxia. Magnetic resonance (MR) of the spine demonstrated four extradural arachnoid cysts extending from T-1 to T-9. The patient underwent a thoracic laminoplasty for en bloc resection of the spinal extradural arachnoid cysts. Postoperatively, the patient’s motor strength and ambulation improved immediately.

Conclusions

Multiple spinal extradural arachnoid cysts are rarely reported in the literature. Excision of the cysts at the spinal cord level leads to a favorable outcome.

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Acknowledgement

We thank Dr. Hermes Prado Jr for his expert assistance with the preparation of the figure.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Campus Universitário, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, 14049-900, Brazil

    Ricardo Santos de Oliveira, Marcelo Campos Moraes Amato, Marcelo Volpon Santos & Helio Rubens Machado

  2. Division of Radiology, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Campus Universitário, São Paulo, 14049-900, Brazil

    Gustavo Novelino Simão

Authors
  1. Ricardo Santos de Oliveira
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  2. Marcelo Campos Moraes Amato
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  3. Marcelo Volpon Santos
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  4. Gustavo Novelino Simão
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  5. Helio Rubens Machado
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Correspondence to Ricardo Santos de Oliveira.

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de Oliveira, R.S., Amato, M.C.M., Santos, M.V. et al. Extradural arachnoid cysts in children. Childs Nerv Syst 23, 1233–1238 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-007-0414-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-007-0414-6

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