Rupture of Giant Anterior Sacral Meningocele in a Patient with Marfan Syndrome: Diagnosis and Management

Abstract

Marfan syndrome is a genetic disorder that results in the weakening of connective tissues. Dural ectasia has been defined as a feature of Marfan syndrome and is present in up to 92% of patients. Rarely, dural ectasia can erode through the sacrum expanding into an anterior sacral meningocele. Information for this case report was gathered from patient notes and imaging from the patient chart. This is a case of a 46-year-old woman who presented with urinary incontinence, early satiety, and back pain in the setting of a known anterior sacral meningocele. Before operative management, the anterior sacral meningocele ruptured with the patient presenting signs and symptoms of intracranial hypotension. Conservative management did not alleviate the pain. She was ultimately managed with posterior sacroplasty followed by anterior sacral meningocele resection and placement of a lumboperitoneal shunt. The patient did not have reaccumulation of the meningocele or recurrent symptoms at the latest follow-up. The progression of dural ectasia in Marfan syndrome to an anterior sacral meningocele is uncommon. It is important to identify the characteristics associated with an expanding dural ectasia as this patient's symptoms progressed over time and the meningocele grew large. Given its rarity, there are no guidelines in place regarding size at which repair of an anterior sacral meningocele should occur prophylactically. It is important to review these cases in order continue to learn about progression, management, and outcomes of patients with an anterior sacral meningocele.