Surgical management of idiopathic thoracal ventral spinal cord herniation: a case report

Abstract

IntroductionIdiopathic spinal cord herniation is a rare entity that is characterized by the displacement of the spinal cord through a defect in the dural layer and presents with symptoms of myelopathy. Surgical management usually results in good outcomes.Case presentationA 58-year-old female patient presented with weakness of both legs since four months. Her neurological examination showed paraplegia in the lower extremities, and ventral herniation was detected in the T9 vertebral level. The patient underwent surgery. Left T9 hemilaminectomy was followed by the reduction in the herniated spinal cord into its physiological location and the covering the anteriorly located dural defect via circumferentially covering the dural surface of the corresponding vertebral level. Postoperatively, the patient’s neurological status improved gradually and radiological scans showed a total reduction in the herniation.ConclusionDespite the rarity of the pathology, spinal cord herniation should be included in the differential diagnosis of the patients presenting with myelopathy or Brown–Séquard syndrome.