Turkish Neurosurgery 2010 , Vol 20 , Num 4
A Long-Segment String of Bead- Like Schwannoma of Cauda Equina: A Case Report
Wan JUN1, Kang YI-JUN2, Zhang XIANG-SHENG3, Wan JING4
1,2,3Xiangya Second Hospital, Central South University, Department of Spine, Changsha, China
4College of Basic Medical, Central South University, Department of Physiology, Changsha, China
DOI : 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.2372-09.2 Spinal schwannomas are one of the most common intradural extramedullary spinal tumors. However, a string of bead-like intradural extramedullary schwannoma is highly uncommon. In the paper we present a case of a longsegment string of bead-like intradural extramedullary schwannoma of cauda equina from L2 to S2.The patient had been suffering progressive low back pain and sciatica with progressive neurological deficits for three years. She was misdiagnosed as lumbar disc herniation at her first time of hospitalization after a simple lumbar computed tomography (CT) scanning and a discectomy. We found her tumor by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and totally removed it. We therefore emphasize differentiating this almost completely curable tumor from other lumbar diseases such as lumbar disc herniation. It is suggested that a reasonable and careful strategy of surgery for these tumors is important. Keywords : String of bead-like, Schwannoma, Cauda equina
Corresponding author : Kang Yi-jun, f2kangyijun@163.com