Cervical syringomyelia with caudal thoracic epidural lipomatosis: case report and literature review

Abstract

Background:

Syringomyelia associated with epidural lipomatosis is a rare finding. Only three published cases of epidural lipomatosis associated with syringomyelia exist in the literature.

Case description:

We report the case of a 46-year-old woman who presented with progressive myelopathy over an 18-month period. Imaging revealed significant thoracic spinal cord compression secondary to epidural lipomatosis from T3 to T8 with cephalad cervical syringomyelia extending from C7 to T1. Imaging was unremarkable for Chiari malformation or a craniospinal space-occupying lesion. A T2 to T8 laminoplasty was performed, removing excessive epidural adipose tissue to decompress the thoracic spinal cord. Postoperatively, the patient reported symptom improvement with complete symptom resolution at 3 months. Follow-up imaging at 3-months demonstrated thoracic spinal cord decompression with mild syrinx reduction. At two-year follow-up the patient remained asymptomatic with unchanged imaging.

Conclusion:

Syringomyelia in the setting epidural lipomatosis is a rare finding.

Keywords:

• Epidural lipomatosis
• laminoplasty
• myelopathy
• syringomyelia

Acknowledgements

The authors have no additional acknowledgements.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.