Myxopapillary Ependymoma and Fatty Filum in an Adult with Tethered Cord Syndrome: A Shared Embryological Lesion? Case Report

Abstract

Myxopapillary ependymoma and fatty fila are traditionally thought to arise via completely different pathophysiologies. Recognition of these distinct pathologies in the same patient is important for appropriate treatment and prognosis. A 28-year-old woman presented with low back pain, bilateral leg radiculopathies, and mild leg weakness suggestive of tethered cord syndrome. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed lesions in the area of the conus medullaris consistent with a myxopapillary ependymoma and fatty filum. Under the surveillance of intraoperative electromyographic monitoring, the patient underwent an L4-S2 laminectomy for transection of the fatty filum and gross total resection of the mass. Histopathological examination confirmed the presence of these two distinct pathologies. We report an unusual case of a myxopapillary ependymoma coexisting with a fatty filum in an adult patient. To the best of our knowledge, this association has not yet been reported. This raises the interesting question of a possible associative or causative relationship between these distinct pathologies, which have traditionally been thought to arise from different mechanisms.