Conus Medullaris Lesions Research Articles

Disseminated Tuberculosis Revealed by Conus Medullaris Tuberculoma

A 29-year-old man from Comoros presented with rapidly progressive paraplegia and sexual dysfunction. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a contrast-enhanced conus medullaris lesion. Differential diagnoses included tumors, abscesses, and inflammatory diseases. Neurosurgery was delayed to complete examinations. Cerebral MRI showed three abscesses. Body computed tomography scan showed supracentimetric polyadenopathies, pulmonary nodules, prostatic lesion, and enhanced seminal vesicle, with hypermetabolism on positron emission tomography with 2-deoxy-2-[fluorine-18]fluoro-D-glucose scan. Histology of lymph node biopsy showed granulomatous infiltration without acid-fast bacilli, and positive polymerase chain reaction for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Lymph node culture was positive after 2 months, urine culture after 3 weeks, but cerebrospinal fluid and sputum cultures were negative. A 1-year antituberculosis therapy was initiated, associated with corticosteroids because the patient developed tuberculosis-immune reconstitution syndrome, revealed by the recurrence of neurological symptoms. After 2 months the patient completely recovered and could run. MRI showed stability of the voluminous tuberculoma with decrease of medullary edema. Avoiding surgery in those cases may prevent iatrogenic neurological deterioration.

Progressive conus medullaris lesions are suggestive of intravascular large B-cell lymphoma.

Spinal cord lesions are observed in 40% of all central nervous system lesions in intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBCL). However, because IVLBCL is a very rare disease, its clinical features are not well defined, which may delay appropriate diagnosis and treatment, whilst the acute to subacute course of brain lesions in patients with IVLBCL is well established. Therefore, this study aimed to clarify the clinical features of spinal cord lesions in patients with IVLBCL. The medical records of patients with IVLBCL admitted to our hospital between 2010 and 2020 were searched. The inclusion criteria were preceding neurological symptoms without non-neurological symptoms and pathologically confirmed IVLBCL in various organs. Clinical features of spinal cord involvement in patients with IVLBCL were assessed and distinguished from those of brain involvement. Sixteen consecutive patients with IVLBCL were divided into two groups: six patients with spinal involvement (spinal cord type) and 10 patients with brain involvement (brain type). In the spinal cord type, four patients had chronic progression and two had subacute progression. Acute progression (0% vs. 80.0%) and sudden onset (0% vs. 50.0%) occurred significantly less frequently in the spinal cord than in the brain. All spinal cord lesions involved the conus medullaris. Spinal cord involvement in IVLBCL has a predominantly chronic progressive course that is exclusive to brain involvement. Conus medullaris lesions are suggestive of IVLBCL and are useful for early and accurate diagnosis and treatment.

Different magnetic resonance imaging features between MOG antibody- and AQP4 antibody-mediated disease: A Chinese cohort study

Few studies have compared radiological features obtained on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) between myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody (MOG-ab)- and aquaporin 4 antibody (AQP4-ab)-positive patients. In this study, 77 MOG-ab and 92 AQP4-ab patients were enrolled. The results demonstrated that the brain MRI-based incidence of subcortical white matter lesions was higher in MOG-ab patients (p < .000) than in AQP4-ab patients and that the former therefore had a higher incidence of periventricular lesions (p = .003). The posterior limb of the internal capsule was more prone to lesions in MOG-ab patients (p = .019). Large lesions and U- or S-shaped lesions were also more frequent in MOG-ab (p < .000 and p = .013, respectively). Half of the MOG-ab patients had spinal cord involvement, and 36.5% presented with longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (LETM). However, among the MOG-ab and AQP4-ab patients with spinal attack, there was no significant difference in the proportion with LETM (p = .057). In conclusion, a higher proportion of MOG-ab patients than AQP4-ab patients had brain lesions in white matter. Among MOG-ab patients who had an attack in the spinal cord, 65.5% also had LETM during the disease course. Conus medullaris lesions were rare in Chinese MOG-ab patients.

Clinical and neuroimaging findings of spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas: How to avoid misdiagnosis of this disease

ObjectiveSpinal dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs) are rare but can cause serious gait and micturition disturbances. Delays in diagnosis and treatment result in poor clinical outcomes; however, the process of misdiagnosis is unknown. MethodsForty consecutive patients were retrospectively analyzed. ResultsThirty-one patients (78%) were initially misdiagnosed with lumbar spinal stenosis or other diseases, mostly by orthopedic surgeons, even though most patients (85%) had specific symptoms or characteristic neuroimaging findings of spinal DAVFs: they often presented with spastic gait (thoracic myelopathy), progressive ascending numbness that begins in the distal lower extremities (epicous syndrome), and urinary tract symptoms (conus medullaris syndrome); initial lumbar MRI showed T2 signal change in the conus medullaris and vascular flow voids around the cord. The median time from onset to treatment was longer in patients with a misdiagnosis than in those with the correct diagnosis (11 vs 4 months). In all patients, the fistula was completely obliterated by the direct microsurgical procedure; however, patients with a misdiagnosis had developed additional disabilities by the time a correct diagnosis was made (Aminoff-Logue gait grade of 3.6 ± 1.4 vs 2.1 ± 1.5 p = 0.013), and achieved markedly smaller improvements after the treatment (Aminoff-Logue gait grade of 3.0 ± 1.6 vs 1.1 ± 1.5, p = 0.006) than those with the correct diagnosis of spinal DAVFs. ConclusionsWhen common spinal stenosis fail to explain the symptoms such as thoracic myelopathy, epiconus syndrome, and conus medullaris syndrome, the possibility of spinal DAVFs should be considered. If lumbar MRI shows conus medullaris lesions, thoracic MRI should be performed to confirm the diagnosis.

Lumbosacral radicular pain during micturition, defecation or orgasm.

The objective of this study was to describe, in a cohort of patients followed for bladder, bowel or sexual dysfunctions, the occurrence of radicular pain during micturition, defecation and/or orgasm. The study included all patients referred in our neuro-urology department and who suffered from radicular pain before, during or after micturition, defecation and/or orgasm. Data included demographic and medical variables, urodynamic and perineal electromyographic diagnosis. A total of 30 patients (men: 70%, mean age 45.4±11.8,) complained of radicular pain before, during or after orgasm (51.4%), micturition (34.3%), or defecation (14.3%). In 30% of cases, radiculopathy was found and was predicted by micturition pain. Other pathologies were as follows: vertebral (16.5%), pelvis and sacral (16.5%), inflammatory central nervous system (10%) lesions and peripheral neuropathies (6.7%). Neurological level of injury was between the lumbar and the sacral level. All spinal cord lesions were lesions of the conus medullaris. Patients also complained of lower urinary tract symptoms (70%), sexual (63.3%) and bowel (60%) disorders. In most cases, the urodynamic diagnosis was neurogenic bladder with peripheral abnormalities and the electromyographic diagnosis was distal neuropathy. Radicular pain occurring during micturition, defecation or orgasm is a rare condition. The most common underlying lesion seems to be radiculopathy, from lumbar to sacral spine. The presence of these symptoms, in the absence of any known neurological condition, should suggest the practitioner a radiculopathy in most of the cases. In consequence, appropriate additional tests should be offered to these patients. Few data are available on sciatica during micturition, defecation or orgasm. This study underlines the need for appropriate tests if a patient complaint from this type of symptom. Indeed, the most common underlying lesion is a radiculopathy but can also be a lesion of conus medullaris.

Neuroschistosomiasis Presenting as Conus Medullaris Lesion; A Case Report

Neuroschistosomiasis Presenting as Conus Medullaris Lesion; A Case Report

Ejaculation and sperm characteristics in men with cauda equina and conus medullaris syndromes

Retrospective. The objective of the study was to describe the type of ejaculation in patients with cauda equina (CE) and conus medullaris (CM) lesions, and to analyse sperm quality. France. One hundred sixty-six patients with CE and CM lesions were included. Diagnosis was based on clinical (no motor responses, sensation or sacral reflexes) and urodynamic assessments (no detrusor activity). Vibromassage (VM) was used to induce ejaculation according to the recommendations for patients with spinal cord injury. If ejaculation did not occur, oral midodrine was administered in progressive doses. Retrograde ejaculation was systematically sought. Sperm parameters were analysed according to World Health Organisation recommendations (2010). Eighty-nine patients were included. Eleven ejaculated on the first VM trial (four anterograde (AE), six retrograde (RE) and one antero-retrograde (ARE)). Five patients continued trials of VM alone, two of whom ejaculated following a mean 1.9 trials (one RE, one ARE). Twenty-six patients underwent trials of VM+ midodrine, 18 of whom ejaculated following a mean 4.4 trials with a mean dose of 22.5 g of midodrine (2 AE, 13 RE and 5 ARE). Fifty-three ejaculates from 26 patients were analysed. Sperm concentration was low in 90.6% of samples; total necrospermia was found in 65% and asthenospermia in 95% of samples. Ejaculation is difficult to induce using VM in patients with CE and CM lesions, and requires high doses of midodrine. Sperm counts were generally low, and asthenospermia and necrospermia were found in the majority of specimens. Cryopreservation of sperm should be systematic in case of medically assisted procreation.

Neurophysiology of the pelvic floor in clinical practice: a systematic literature review.

Neurophysiological testing of the pelvic floor is recognized as an essential tool to identify pathophysiological mechanisms of pelvic floor disorders, support clinical diagnosis, and aid in therapeutic decisions. Nevertheless, the diagnostic value of these tests in specific neurological diseases of the pelvic floor is not completely clarified. Seeking to fill this gap, the members of the Neurophysiology of the Pelvic Floor Study Group of the Italian Clinical Neurophysiology Society performed a systematic review of the literature to gather available evidence for and against the utility of neurophysiological tests. Our findings confirm the utility of some tests in specific clinical conditions [e.g. concentric needle electromyography, evaluation of sacral reflexes and of pudendal somatosensory evoked potentials (pSEPs) in cauda equina and conus medullaris lesions, and evaluation of pSEPs and perineal sympathetic skin response in spinal cord lesions], and support their use in clinical practice. Other tests, particularly those not currently supported by high-level evidence, when employed in individual patients, should be evaluated in the overall clinical context, or otherwise used for research purposes.

Two Cases of Conus Medullaris Lesions with Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorders

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD), an autoimmune astrocytopathic disease associated with antiaquaporin- 4 (AQP4) antibody, is characterized by inflammatory lesions in the optic nerves, spinal cord, and central parts of the brain. These symptoms, urinary and fecal incontinence about conus medullaris involvement in NMOSD, are usually not appreciated as the possible manifestation of NMOSD. Missing diagnosis at this early stage will lead to a delay in the treatment, and hence, irreversible complications. We present two cases of conus medullaris involvements with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders.

Sphincter electromyography in diabetes mellitus and multiple system atrophy

Abnormalities of external anal sphincter electromyography (EAS-EMG) characterize multiple system atrophy (MSA) and focal cauda equina or conus medullaris lesions. This study is designed to determine whether and how diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) affects EAS as compared to the abnormalities seen in MSA. We conducted multi-motor unit potential (MUP) analysis of EAS in 22 healthy controls, 32 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients without neuropathy, 38 DPN patients, and 68 MSA patients. DPN patients had a significant (P < 0.01) increase in MUP mean duration, mean amplitude, percentage of long duration MUPs, and satellite rate, but to a lesser extent than MSA. Mean duration and satellite rate showed the least overlap among different groups in individual value distributions. Compared with MSA, DPN affects EAS to a lesser degree as judged by neurogenic MUP abnormalities in EMG. Mean duration and satellite rate may serve as the most discriminating aspects in MUP analysis of EAS.

Detrusor overactivity in patients with cauda equina syndrome.

Retrospective cross-sectional study. To delineate the neurogenic bladder type in patients with cauda equina syndrome (CES) and to suggest, in light of the clinical, radiological, and electrophysiological findings, a possible cause of bladder dysfunction. Many patients with CES experience bladder dysfunction, although the type of neurogenic bladder is quite variable in the clinical setting. Bladder dysfunction in patients with CES is usually areflexic or acontractile detrusor. However, detrusor overactivity (DOA) also reported the cases that cannot be explained by pure root injuries in the cauda equina region. Patients with CES with neurogenic bladder were studied, all of whom (n = 61; mean age ± SD, 48.0 ± 15.9 yr) underwent urodynamic analysis, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and electrophysiology. According to the urodynamic findings, the neurogenic bladder was classified into 2 types: DOA and detrusor underactivity or acontractility. The highest level of injury (HLI) or level of injury was determined and analyzed on the basis of the clinical-urodynamic and electrophysiological findings, respectively. Twenty patients with CES (32.8%) showed DOA; in most of them (85.0%, 17/20 patients), the HLI on electrophysiological assessment was L2 or above. Forty-one patients with CES showed detrusor underactivity or acontractility; and most of the patients with CES whose HLI was L3 or below showed detrusor underactivity or acontractility (91.2%, 31/34 patients). None of the HLI or level of injury from the clinical or magnetic resonance imaging findings correlated with neurogenic bladder type. We also found that urodynamic findings including maximal detrusor pressure and bladder capacity was partially correlated with the HLI on electrophysiological assessment (r² = 0.244, P < 0.001 and r² = 0.330; P < 0.001, respectively). DOA was seen most often in patients with CES whose HLI was L2 or above, and might be associated with combined conus medullaris lesion. Electrophysiology might be the most useful assessment tool for prediction of neurogenic bladder type in patients with CES.

Intramedullary Spinal Lesions Involving the Conus Medullaris: MR Imaging Features for Differential Diagnosis

Purpose : Intramedullary spinal lesions in the conus medullaris (CM), including tumors and vascular lesion, are rarely reported. We reported various MR features of intramedullary spinal cord lesions involving the CM including ependymoma, hemangioblastomas, dermoid cyst, ventriculus terminalis and spinal AVF and tried to discuss them for differential diagnosis. Materials and Methods: Six patients (male: female = 4:2, mean age = 44.3 year old) were enrolled from the clinical database of our institute from 2004 to 2010 and their radiological images and clinical symptoms were reviewed retrospectively. All patients had taken initial and postoperative MRI with contrast enhancement using gadopentate dimeglumine (GdDTPA). These images were analyzed by tumor size, location, signal intensity relative to the spinal cord, vascular flow voids, syrinx or cyst, edema and enhancement pattern. Results: Contrast enhancement was seen in all intramedullary masses. An eccentric enhancing nodule was noted in two hemangioblastomas and unusual peripheral rim enhancement with septation was seen in ventriculus terminalis. Patchy enhancement of the CM was observed in spinal arteriovenous fistula (AVF). Extensive cord edema adjacent to the intramedullary lesions was seen in four cases and syrinx was noted in three cases. Vascular signal voids were found in two hemangioblastomas and one spinal AVF. Conclusion: In evaluation of intramedullary spinal lesions in the CM, it is necessary to consider these unusual MR findings and discriminate various pathologies with prudence and caution. Index words : Conus medullaris∙Intramedullary lesion∙Spinal arteriovenous fistula∙Ventriculus terminalis Hemangioblastoma∙Dermoid cyst∙Ependymoma

Conus Medullaris Syndrome following Radionuclide Cisternography.

Radionuclide cisternography is generally considered to be a safe procedure without significant neurological complications. However, in this report we present a patient who developed conus medullaris syndrome following radionuclide cisternography. A 46-year-old woman underwent lumbar puncture followed by radionuclide cisternography with the diagnosis of hydrocephalus. After the cisternography, she developed voiding difficulty with perineal sensory loss. Lumbar MRI revealed a high signal intensity lesion on T2-weighted images at the level of conus medullaris. Considering its clinical course and MRI findings, a spinal cord infarction is highly suggested as a cause of the conus medullaris lesion in this patient.

Spinal Cord Schistosomiasis: Diagnosis, Pathological Features and Treatment.

Background Data: Schistosomiasis affects over 200 million people worldwide. Involvement of the CNS is a rare occurrence. Spinal cord involvement is a rare manifestation of schistosomiasis, the conus medullaris being the primary site of spinal involvement. Purpose: We describe the clinical presentation and the MRI findings of spinal cord schistosomiasis in correlation with surgery and histopatholgical findings. Study Design: Clinical case study.Patients and Methods: We report four cases of spinal cord schistosomiasis presented with rapidly progressive paraparesis associated with urinary incontinence. Three patients were males and one was female (mean age 16 years). MRI of the spine demonstrated a diffusely enhancing mass at the conus medullaris with spinal cord edema, in one of the cases, the edema extended to the upper thoracic segment. Results: In all cases, spinal masses were surgically managed through decompressive laminectomy and either biopsy or debulking. Histopathological examination showed a granulomatous inflammation surrounding bilharzial ova with a final diagnosis of spinal cord schistosomiasis. Patients were treated with Praziquantel and oral steroids. They made a remarkable neurological recovery.Conclusions: Spinal cord schistosomiasis inspite its rare occurrence, must be considered in the differential diagnosis of conus medullaris lesions. Accurate diagnosis, through recognition of its MRI appearance, allows early treatment. Better prognosis depends on decompressive laminectomy, oral steroids to abort intense immune reactionsurrounding the ova and antibilharzial drug. (2014ESJ055)

Intramedullary conus medullaris tuberculoma in an HIV-infected child: an unusual immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome response

A human immunodeficiency virus-infected girl with previous cerebral tuberculosis presented with paraparesis and sphincter dysfunction after improvement in her CD4 count, following antiretroviral therapy. Magnetic resonance imaging of her spinal cord revealed a conus medullaris lesion, in keeping with a tuberculoma. Her neurological signs improved after initiating tuberculosis treatment and steroids. It is most likely that this case demonstrates an unusual central nervous system immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) response and is probably the first reported case of conus medullaris tuberculoma IRIS in the literature.

Conus Medullaris Syndrome as a Complication of Radioisotope Cisternography

Conus medullaris syndrome (CMS) is a clinical neurologic syndrome caused by a conus medullaris lesion. CMS is a heterogeneous entity with various etiologies such as trauma or a space-occupying lesion. Multiple cases of CMS following spinal anesthesia have been reported, but CMS after radioisotope (RI) cisternography has not yet been reported. We present four patients who developed CMS after RI cisternography. All experienced neurological deficits such as paraparesis, sensory loss, and urinary incontinence three to four days after RI cisternography. Two showed abnormalities on lumbar magnetic resonance imaging, and three had complete symptom resolution within ten weeks. The pathomechanism of the CMS is unclear, but we hypothesize that RI neurotoxicity might be responsible. It is possible that the use of low-dose 99mTc-DTPA or an alternative diagnostic tool such as magnetic resonance cisternography could help to prevent this complication.

Solitary intradural extramedullary metastasis of renal cell carcinoma to the conus medullaris

We report the case of a 68-year-old man with a 6-year history of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), who presented with severe low backache and paraparesis for a month before admission. In addition, he experienced urinary retention for 2 weeks. A spinal magnetic resonance imaging scan revealed the presence of an intradural extramedullary solitary mass at the conus medullaris. We performed a laminectomy and completely excised the tumor. The histopathological findings were suggestive of spinal metastasis of RCC. After the operation, the patient did not complain of backache and urinary retention, and paraparesis improved significantly. Spinal metastases of RCC are usually extradurally located. Intradural metastases of RCC are rare. Thus far, only six cases of RCC metastasizing to the cauda equina have been reported; however, RCC metastasis to the conus medullaris has not yet been reported. Conus medullaris lesions may cause symmetrical motor and sensory deficits accompanied by early autonomic system impairment. Surgery is the treatment of choice in cases of resectable RCC metastases, especially in cases of solitary metastasis.

Spinal anaesthesia and neuromyelitis optica: cause or coincidence?

Spinal anaesthesia and neuromyelitis optica: cause or coincidence?

Signes de lutte dans les vessies neurologiques des lésions de la queue de cheval et du cône terminal

The bladder deformations observed in the neurogenic bladders are frequent, particularly in the "upper motor neuron" bladder type (paraplegia, multiple sclerosis). We wanted to verify the predictive factors of such damage and particularly, if the urodynamic typology intervened in their genesis by using the model of cauda equina syndrome and conus medullaris lesions. We have studied retrospectively the presence of cystographic bladder deformations at patients with neurogenic bladder due to cauda equina syndrome or conus medullaris lesion according to their urodynamic status: either overactive or acontractile detrusor. Of 68 patients, (mean age 47.2 years), 34 had an overactive and 34 an acontractile detrusor. The presence of bladder deformations was associated with an overactive detrusor (p=0.04). However, 50% of the patients with acontractile detrusor had bladder deformations, and those deformations were associated with male sex, and this excluding urologic obstruction. This study demonstrates the existence of bladder deformations in the hypoactive lower motor neuron neurogenic bladder type. If the bladder deformations seem more frequent in the overactive neurogenic bladder type, their specific and repeated search is also necessary during the follow-up of the lower motor neuron neurogenic bladder type.

Duloxetine for treatment of male sphincteric incontinence following partial conus medullaris infarction after coronary bypass surgery

IntroductionVascular spinal cord injury following coronary bypass grafting surgery is very rare and this is probably one of few reports of a presumptive partial conus medullaris lesion leading to sudden onset bladder and bowel incontinence which was managed using duloxetine, a selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. Duloxetine has been used in selected patients with post-prostatectomy sphincteric incontinence but not, to our knowledge, for spinal vascular lesions.Case presentationA 63-year-old Indian man developed bladder and bowel incontinence immediately following coronary bypass grafting surgery. Findings were suggestive of microcirculatory partial conus medullaris infarction. Based on his urodynamics findings he was managed with duloxetine, tolterodine and clean intermittent catheterization. The clinical presentation, serial urodynamic findings and implications are discussed.ConclusionSpinal injury following coronary bypass grafting is rare and devastating. It is important to be able to recognize the problem even when paraplegia is not noted, counsel the patient and manage the patient with the help of urodynamics. In patients with sphincteric incontinence, duloxetine may have a role in management.