Spinal Dura Research Articles

Definitions and MR imaging of duropathies

Kumar defined duropathies as disorders with dural defects-related cerebrospinal fluid leaks, particularly of spinal anterior dura mater, Superficial (hemo) siderosis (SS) and multisegemental amyotrophy (MSAM) were included in duropathies. Dural defects of SS had two types; one was incomplete closure of the dura in the spinal and cranial operations, the other was a spontaneous defect in the spinal anterior dura mater. In a majority of SS patients, spontaneous dural defects were detected at the levels of C7/Th1 to Th2/Th3 on axial FIESTA (fast imaging employing steady state acquisition) images. Similarly, dural defects in our 6 cases with MSAM were showed at C7/Th1 to Th2/Th3. Axial FIESTA images were crucial on MR imaging. T2 weighted images demonstrated abnormal hyperintense lesions in both anterior horns at the level of C3 spinal cord in all of 7 patients with MSAM. A dural defect in one case was not found.

Development of myodural bridge located within the atlanto-occipital interspace of rats.

The myodural bridge (MDB) is a dense connective tissue structure that connects the subocciptal musculature to the spinal dura mater. The purpose of this study was to clarify morphological evolution characteristics and compositional changes in the fibrous structures of MDB during its growth and development in the atlanto-occipital interspace. For this, histological sections from Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (age, E17 to adulthood) were stained with Masson's Trichrome and Picrosirius Red. The results demonstrated that at age E18, the posterior arch of the atlas was completely closed and MDB fibers had already begun to form. In rat embryos (E18-E21), only few fibers and muscles were present in the suboccipital region, and these were lightly stained. In postnatal rats, an obvious increase in the amount of fibers and muscle tissues was noted. At age P1, MDB fibers originated from the rectus capitis posterior minor muscle and merged into the atlanto-occipital membrane, which was closely attached to the spinal dura mater. As rats matured, MDB fibers gradually became denser and more organized. This study also showed that in postnatal rats, MDB was mainly composed of type I collagen fibers. By observing the development of MDB in SD rats, the function of MDB can be further understood. This study provides a morphological basis for future functional studies involving the MDB.

Hypertrophic Pachymeningitis in a Southern Chinese Population: A Retrospective Study.

Aims: To investigate the causes, clinical characteristics, imaging features, and therapeutic implications of hypertrophic pachymeningitis (HP) in a southern Chinese population.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 48 patients with HP with different causes from 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2018. Clinical manifestation, laboratory findings, and neuroimaging results were evaluated in all HP patients.Results: The mean age at onset was 50 ± 12 years. The most common diagnosis was idiopathic HP (67%), followed by antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (15%), tuberculous meningitis (8%), viral meningitis (6%), and bacterial meningitis (4%). Headache was the most common symptom. The most frequently changed laboratory finding was elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Imaging was characterized by cerebral or spinal dura mater enhancement in MRI scan with contrast. Enhancements were mainly located in the posterior fossa for idiopathic HP; frontal, parietal, and occipital lobes for ANCA-related HP; and posterior fossa for tuberculous-associated HP. Diffuse enhancement was found in most cases, except for tuberculous-associated HP. Glucocorticoid or immunosuppressive treatment was applied in most cases.Conclusions: The etiology of HP varied among patients, with idiopathic HP being the most common. MRI showed enhancement of the dura mater, which differed according to different etiologies. Glucocorticoid or immunosuppressive agents were the primary drugs for treatment.

Inter-dural spinal cyst with acute thoracic compressive myelopathy: anatomical aspects of spinal dura, case report and literature review

Introduction Inter-dural juxta-facet spinal cysts occur rarely. They form as part of the degenerative spinal disease process and can be misdiagnosed as synovial cysts or ganglion cysts. We report the case of a thoracic inter-dural juxta-facet spinal cyst causing acute compressive thoracic myelopathy. Methods The data was collected retrospectively from patient records. The literature review was performed in PubMed. Results We report a case of symptomatic inter-dural juxta-facet thoracic spinal cyst. The literature review showed a variety of different spinal cysts including arachnoid cyst, discal cyst, ganglion cyst, epidermoid cyst and synovial cysts. Micro-instability and repeated microtrauma associated with degenerative changes are most likely contributors to its formation. Asymptomatic cysts can show spontaneous resolution. When symptomatic, they can be managed with surgical excision with good patient outcome. Conclusion Inter-dural spinal cysts can be diagnosed and surgically excised to produce excellent post-operative outcome. High pre-operative index of suspicion of this diagnosis together with good understanding of the intraoperative anatomy are essential to avoid inadvertent dural breach.

Role of Ultrasonic Bone Scalpel in Spine Surgery: a Review Article

During the last 20 years, there have been remarkable advances in the field of spine surgery. Ultrasonic bone scalpel is one of the most impactful advances. It is a unique surgical device which offers a controlled osteotomy which slices the hard bone while the soft tissues remain largely unaffected. The major benefits of using this modern instrument are the soft tissue sparing, controlled cutting, reduced bleeding, and thereby increasing the effectiveness. There are widespread studies in the literature propagating its use in various surgeries like thoracoplasties, osteotomies, vertebral column resections, laminectomies, corpectomies, laminotomy, facetectomy and scoliotic surgeries. It is one of the precise and finest instruments available for bone cutting which can be of great value while working near the vicinity of spinal cord, dura and nerve roots. Although not 100%, it can significantly minimise the risk of ripping the tissues as compared with osteotomes, Kerrison and the high-speed rotating burrs. It also has a distinct advantage of minimizing the thermal damage due to its attached irrigation component. Various studies have proven its efficiency in decreasing the operating time, increased fusion rates and decreasing the blood loss. Although it is a relatively easy technique to master on, a very basic training is required initially. So, we can safely say that ultrasonic bone scalpel is indispensable in the armamentarium of today’s spine surgeon where minimally invasive surgeries are swiping in.

Scanning Electron Microscopic Observation of Myodural Bridge in the Human Suboccipital Region

A scanning electron microscopic study performed on three cadaveric specimens focused on the human suboccipital region, specifically, myodural bridge (MDB). This study showed the connection form of the MDB among the suboccipital muscles, the posterior atlanto-occipital membrane (PAOM) and the spinal dura mater (SDM), and provided an ultrastructural morphological basis for the functional studies of the MDB. Since the myodural bridge was first discovered by Hack, researches on its morphology and functions had been progressing continuously. However, at present, research results about MDB were still limited to the gross anatomical and histological level. There was no research report showing the MDB's ultrastructural morphology and its ultrastructural connection forms between PAOM and SDM. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to observe the connection of myodural bridge fibers with PAOM and SDM in atlanto-occipital and atlanto-axial interspaces, and the connection forms were analyzed. Under the SEM, it was observed that there were clear direct connections between the suboccipital muscles and the PAOM and SDM in the atlanto-occipital and atlanto-axial spaces. These connections were myodural bridge. The fibers of the myodural bridge merged into the spinal dura mater and gradually became a superficial layer of the spinal dura mater. MDB fibers merged into the SDM and became part of the SDM in the atlanto-occipital and atlanto-axial space. MDB could transfer tension and pulling force to the SDM effectively, during the contraction or relaxation of the suboccipital muscles. N/A.

Artificial Neural Networks to Assess Virtual Reality Anterior Cervical Discectomy Performance.

Virtual reality surgical simulators provide a safe environment for trainees to practice specific surgical scenarios and allow for self-guided learning. Artificial intelligence technology, including artificial neural networks, offers the potential to manipulate large datasets from simulators to gain insight into the importance of specific performance metrics during simulated operative tasks. To distinguish performance in a virtual reality-simulated anterior cervical discectomy scenario, uncover novel performance metrics, and gain insight into the relative importance of each metric using artificial neural networks. Twenty-one participants performed a simulated anterior cervical discectomy on the novel virtual reality Sim-Ortho simulator. Participants were divided into 3 groups, including 9 post-resident, 5 senior, and 7 junior participants. This study focused on the discectomy portion of the task. Data were recorded and manipulated to calculate metrics of performance for each participant. Neural networks were trained and tested and the relative importance of each metric was calculated. A total of 369 metrics spanning 4 categories (safety, efficiency, motion, and cognition) were generated. An artificial neural network was trained on 16 selected metrics and tested, achieving a training accuracy of 100% and a testing accuracy of 83.3%. Network analysis identified safety metrics, including the number of contacts on spinal dura, as highly important. Artificial neural networks classified 3 groups of participants based on expertise allowing insight into the relative importance of specific metrics of performance. This novel methodology aids in the understanding of which components of surgical performance predominantly contribute to expertise.

MECHANICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF SPINAL DURA USING A PD-CONTROLLED BIAXIAL TENSILE TESTER

In this study, we developed an equi-load biaxial tensile tester and applied it to a series of mechanical tests using specimens obtained from the porcine spinal dura mater. The dural sample exhibited a nonlinear and anisotropic behavior as it was more deformable in the longitudinal direction rather than in the circumferential direction at lower strains; i.e., mechanical response of the longitudinal direction was significantly compliant in the Toe region compared to that of the circumferential direction under 1:1 biaxial stretching. However, we have not observed a significant difference with respect to the resultant strain and Young’s modulus between the longitudinal and circumferential directions at higher strains or in the Linear region. Our results also indicated that the upper thoracic region (T1) was relatively compliant compared to the lumbar region (L), where the failure load was almost equal between them because the dural thickness of T1 was five-fold greater than that of L; i.e., spinal dura mater became stiffer and stronger at further distances from the brain. This shows structural effectiveness and may be preferable to mechanically protect the vulnerable spinal cord from externally applied impact loads.

Percutaneous Endoscopic Surgery for Lumbar Discal Cyst: Two Case Reports

Discal cyst is a rare disease, the pathogenesis is not yet clear and its symptoms are very similar to lumbar disc herniation. Although some cases may regress spontaneously, most cases of lumbar discal cysts are treated surgically. At present, there is no consensus on the treatment of this disease. The authors report the clinical usefulness of the percutaneous endoscopic transforaminal surgery technique in two patients with the lumbar 4-5 discal cyst. The clinical symptoms of both patients were unilateral lower extremity pain and lower back pain. Magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spine revealed lumbar discal cysts, causing compression to the spinal dura and roots. Both patients received conservative treatment for more than 6 months, but the clinical symptoms persisted so surgical treatment by percutaneous endoscopic transforaminal surgery without additional discectomy was performed under local anesthesia. The symptoms were relieved immediately after removal of the discal cysts. Postoperative magnetic resonance imaging showed that both patients had complete excision of discal cysts and complete decompression of the treated segmental. There were no recurrent lesions and complications during the follow-up period. We believe that percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic surgery could be a safe, mini-invasive and appropriate method for the treatment of discal cysts. J Med Cases. 2020;11(6):178-181 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jmc3474

Clinicopathologic Features of Thoracolumbar Interdural Disc Herniations: A Retrospective Case Series with a Systematic Literature Review

Transdural disc herniations represent about 0.3% of all herniated discs. Preoperative imaging rarely demonstrates this condition. Therefore, diagnosis of transdural disc herniation is usually made intraoperatively. We describe the clinicopathologic features of extremely rare cases of thoracic and lumbar interdural disc herniations mimicking spinal intradural en plaque tumors. This is a retrospective case series with a systematic literature review. Clinical presentation, imaging, differential diagnosis, intraoperative microsurgical findings, and possible pathogenesis were reviewed according to published guidelines. All patients underwent a posterior approach for microsurgical excision of disc herniation, but no epidural lesion was found. At intradural exploration, a tumor-like en plaque lesion was discovered. The surface of the lesion was incised, and multiple friable, cartilaginous white-yellow fragments were removed to achieve complete intralesional excision. The postoperative course was characterized by progressive neurologic improvement in all cases. In peculiar anatomic (adhesions between the anulus fibrosus, posterior longitudinal ligament, and ventral surface of dura mater) and pathologic (calcified giant disc herniation, spinal canal stenosis, previous lumbar spine surgery) conditions, penetration of disc fragment in the thickness of spinal dura mater can occur. Interdural disc herniations constitute a rare pathologic condition characterized by the migration of the herniated disc in neither the epidural nor the subdural spinal space, but rather in the thickness of the spinal dura mater. Further advances are necessary in neuroradiologic investigations to achieve a correct preoperative diagnosis, which is essential, as spine surgeons must be aware of these rare pathologies.

Miniplate-Augmented Interlaminar Fusion in C1–C2 Screwing

The interlaminar fusion combination involving C1-C2 screwing fixation is one of the most effective techniques for atlantoaxial dislocation or subluxation, and the bone graft is usually stabilized by wiring constructs. However, some adverse events were reported during the insertion of sublaminar wiring, such as accidentally damaging the spinal cord or dura. Thus we used the miniplate to stabilize the harvest bone graft on the C1-C2 laminar, which led to a shorter operation time and prevented spinal canal violation. This study investigated the safety and efficacy of the novel surgical technique, namely miniplate-augmented interlaminar fusion. We retrospectively reviewed 43 patients who underwent posterior atlantoaxial fusion with the miniplate-augmented iliac crest autograft at our institute. Complications related to surgery were recorded and calculated. After operation, patients were followed up through routine radiography to examine whether the fusion of the atlantoaxial segment was achieved. Success of fusion was defined as follows: 1) the presence of bone bridging between the bone graft and both the atlas and axis; and 2) the absence of movement of the atlantoaxial spinous process on flexion-extension radiography, which meant that the variation of length measured in 2 views, respectively, was <1 mm. The first time when radiography showed successful fusion after surgery was termed as fusion time and was recorded individually. In addition, overall fusion rates and mean fusion times were analyzed. Of 43 patients, long-term follow-up data were available for 31 patients, whereas the remaining 12 patients had dropped out (mean follow-up duration, 24.91 months; range, 6-72 months). Among 31 patients, 22 (70.96%) were women and 9 (29.03%) were men. The mean age was 63.33 years. Regarding the etiology, atlantoaxial dislocations or subluxations were caused due to degeneration, rheumatoid arthritis, odontoid fracture, trauma, and os odontoideum in 14 (45%), 3 (10%), 5 (16%), 8 (26%), and 1 (3%) patient(s), respectively. Successful fusion was achieved in 30 (96.77%) patients, with a mean fusion time of 6.23 months, whereas only 1 (3.23%) patient did not meet the fusion criteria. No complications related to the miniplate occurred. We noted vertebral artery rupture not requiring blood transfusion in 1 patient, aspiration pneumonia in 1 patient, urinary tract infection in 1 patient, anemia requiring transfusion in 1 patient, and leg dysesthesia in 1 patient. No neurologic deficit was found. Miniplate-augmented interlaminar fusion with C1-C2 screwing resulted in excellent fusion rates with a considerably low probability of complications. Hence this novel technique for bone graft fixation with atlantoaxial screwing has a good efficacy and safety and can serve as an alternative for bone graft fixation during C1-C2 fusion.

Intervertebral Displacement of the Thoracic Spine with and without Loading: Radiographic and in Vitro Measurements

We are developing an intradural approach to spinal cord stimulation, where the thin electrode array is affixed stably to the underside of the thoracic spinal dura mater without leakage of cerebrospinal fluid. As part of the design and testing process, we sought to evaluate the potential risk of inadvertent contact of the array with the pial surface of the spinal cord during variations in spinal loading. As part of the risk assessment process, a 2-part study was undertaken. First, a retrospective review of the imaging studies of 25 patients was done in the supine, 45- and 90-degree positions to measure the positional shift between the T9 and T10 vertebral bodies as a function of spinal angulation. Second, similar measurements were made on a cadaveric model, with and without a prototype intradural stimulator implanted at the T9-T10 position and with and without 13.8 kg (30 lb) of axial spinal loading at the 90-degree orientation. In all cases, the measured relative displacement of the dura mater towards the spinal cord in both the imaging and the cadaveric arms of the study was less than 1 mm. The implantation method for the thin intradural array of the prototype device will ensure that the anatomic separation between it and the pial surface of the spinal cord will be the same as that of the dura mater. Therefore the risk of inadvertent contact will be no greater than that due to the mass effects of standard epidural stimulator implants.

Identification of Lyve-1 positive macrophages as resident cells in meninges of rats.

Meningeal immunity along with its associated lymphatic vasculatures is widely discussed recently. Lymphatic vessels in meninges drain interstitial fluid into the deep-cervical lymph nodes. The vessels are composed of cells that express the cardinal marker for lymphatic endothelium-the lymphatic vessel hyaluronan receptor-1 (Lyve-1). However, studies also show the presence of nonendothelial Lyve-1 expressing cells in certain tissues. Therefore, we were curious if nonendothelial Lyve-1+ cells are also present in dura mater of meninges. We show that Lyve-1+ endothelial cells are distributed adjacent to the blood vessels in the brain dura mater of rats. We did not observe any lymphatic vessels in spinal dura mater. Interestingly, we also observed isolated population of nonlymphatic Lyve-1+ cells in both brain and spinal dura mater. Morphologically, the Lyve-1+ cells were extensively pleomorphic, sometimes elongated or round. Surprisingly, the thoracolumbal meningeal Lyve-1+ cells were predominantly round in morphology. Using endothelial specific marker VEGFR3 and macrophage markers CD68 and CD169, we observed that the isolated Lyve-1+ cells lacked endothelial cell signature, but were either CD68+ or CD169+ macrophages. Moreover, we observed that the Lyve-1+ cells colocalized with collagen fibers in the meninges, and some of Lyve-1+ cells had intracellular collagen. The study for the first time demonstrates the presence of Lyve-1 positive macrophages in the lymphatic and nonlymphatic regions in the meninges of rats.

Efficacy of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cell transplantation in dogs with chronic spinal cord injury.

Background:Spinal cord injury (SCI) is relatively common in dogs and is a devastating condition involving loss of sensory neurons and motor neurons. However, the main clinical protocol for the management of SCI is surgery to decompress and stabilize the vertebra. Cell transplantation therapy is a very promising strategy for the treatment of chronic SCI, but extensive preclinical and clinical research work remains.Aim:The aim of this study is to confirm the effect of bone marrow-derived mononuclear cell (BM-MNC) transplantation for chronic SCI in dogs.Methods:We tested the treatment efficiency of chronic SCI in 12 dogs using BM-MNC transplantation. Neurological evaluation used the Texas Spinal Cord Injury Scale (TSCIS). Concurrently, we characterized the transplanted cells by evaluation using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, flow cytometry, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Result:All dogs had a pre-transplantation TSCIS score of 0. Two animals did not show any improvement in their final TSCIS scores. The remaining 10 dogs (83.4%) achieved improvement in the final TSCIS scores. Five of them (41.7%) regained ambulatory function with a TSCIS score greater than 10. We determined that canine BM-MNCs expressed hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) mRNA at higher levels than other cytokines, with significant increases in HGF levels in cerebrospinal fluid within 48 hours after autologous BM-MNC transplantation into the subarachnoid space of the spinal dura matter in dogs.Conclusions:BM-MNC transplantation may be effective for at least some cases of chronic SCI.

Effects of asymmetric biaxial stretching on mechanical responses of spinal dura mater

Effects of asymmetric biaxial stretching on mechanical responses of spinal dura mater

Distinguishing magnetic resonance imaging features between idiopathic hypertrophic pachymeningitis and secondary hypertrophic pachymeningitis

Abstract Background Hypertrophic pachymeningitis (HP) is a rare chronic inflammatory disorder characterized by marked fibrous thickening of the cerebral and/or spinal dura mater. This condition is caused by infection, inflammation, autoimmune disorder, neoplasms, or idiopathic. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may play an important role in differentiating idiopathic HP from secondary HP, may avoid unnecessarily invasive dural biopsy, and prompt specific treatment. Objective To determine the specific MRI findings for differentiation between idiopathic HP and secondary HP. Method A total of 34 patients underwent MRI of the brain and cervical spine from January 2003 to December 2015. In all, 23 patients were diagnosed idiopathic HP and 11 patients were secondary HP. Demographic data and imaging findings reveal the following: configuration, thickness, signal intensity on T1-weighted image (T1WI), T2-weighted image (T2WI), and enhancement pattern of the lesions. The data were analyzed by T-test and Fisher’s exact test. Result Secondary HP were significantly located at anterior and middle cranial fossa (P = 0.033). There is no significant difference of lesions in configurations, T1 and T2 signal intensity and patterns of enhancement. There was significant and exclusive difference in T2 hypointense/dark intensity and homogeneous enhancement in idiopathic HP (75%, P = 0.044). Conclusions MRI may play a complimentarily important role in distinguishing idiopathic HP from secondary HP. Idiopathic HP is probably preferred diagnosis in the lesions with T2-rim pattern and T2 hypointense/dark intensity with homogeneous enhancement.

Diagnosis and treatment of spinal dural arteriovenous fistula: A report of 14 cases

Objective To analyze the diagnosis and treatment of spinal dural arteriovenous fistula (SDAVF). Methods The clinical data of 14 patients with SDAVF admitted to Department of Neurosurgery, General Hospital of the Eastern Theater Command from May 2008 to May 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. All patients underwent the examinations of preoperative spinal cord MRI and spinal cord angiography to identify the region of SDAVF and the location of fistula. Microsurgical resection of SDAVF was conducted via semi-lamina approach. The modified Aminoff-Logue score was used to evaluate the spinal function before operation, after operation and during the follow-up period. Results No abnormal fistulas or tortuous dilated drainage veins were detected by spinal cord angiography after operation in 14 patients. The modified Aminoff-Logue score [median (upper and lower quartiles)] before operation and post operation in those 14 patients were as follows: gait: 2.0 (1.0, 3.0) points vs. 2.0 (1.0, 2.0) points, urinate: 2.0 (0, 2.0) points vs. 1.0 (0, 2.0) points, defecate: 1.0 (0, 2.0) points vs. 0.5 (0, 1.0) points. The postoperative scores were improved compared to preoperative scores (all P<0.05). Of those 14 patients, 6 were lost to follow-up and 8 were followed up for 7.5 (4.5, 12.0) months. The gait, urinate and defecate scores were 0.5 (0, 1.0), 0 (0, 0.7) and 0 (0, 0.5) respectively, which have improved compared with those before operation (all P<0.05). No recurrence of the lesion was found in 8 patients during the last follow-up. Conclusions Spinal cord angiography is the gold standard for the diagnosis of SDAVF. Microsurgery via semi-lamina approach is an effective method for the treatment of SDAVF. The spinal cord function of patients can be improved significantly. Key words: Arteriovenous fistula; Spinal dura; Microsurgery; Clinical characteristics; Spinal cord function

Management of spinal dural arterio venous fistula with peri-medullar drainage

Introduction: Spinal Dural Arterio Venous Fistula (SDAVF) is an arteriovenous communication on the spinal dura with peri-medullar venous drainage. It is a curable cause of myelopathy and the most common form of spinal arterio venous malformation (AVM). The average age of revelation is the fifth decade; it is a diagnostic and therapeutic emergency.&#x0D; Materials and methods: This is a retrospective study conducted in the neuro surgical department of CHU Bab El Oued in Algiers during a five years time from November 2013 to September 2018. We assessed the clinical status of patients according to the Aminoff-Logue disability score before and after surgery. All patients did a total spine MRI followed by a Medullar angiography which facilitated the pin-pointing of the exact location of the dural fistula. The mean follow-up is 30 months.&#x0D; Results: There were five males and two females, all of them older than 45 years of age. At the admission, patients presented with signs of neurological deficits. After the diagnosis of SDAVF the surgical intervention consisted of a disconnection of the arteriovenous communication by coagulation and section of the fistula at the foot of the vein after a laminectomy. Functional rehabilitation was prescribed for all patients and they were regularly followed-up.&#x0D; Conclusion: Treatment of AVF is surgical or endovascular. Results depend largely on preoperative neurological status.

Communicating spinal epidural thoracic arachnoid cyst en-bloc resection

Background: Spinal extradural arachnoid cyst is an uncommon, expanding lesion which may communicate with the subarachnoid space, The etiology still remains unclear, but the most accepted explanation is the existence of areas of weakness in the spinal dura , Spinal arachnoid cysts are usually in the thoracic spine, and they may cause symptoms due to spinal cord compression.&#x0D; Case Presentation: Patient is a 54-years-old female who presented with progressive back pain and motor deficit, Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study revealed an extradural cyst extending from T2 to T4 isointense with the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) on all sequences and did not enhance on T1-weighted post-contrast MRI. Patient underwent T2-T4 laminectomy, en-bloc resection of the lesion was achieved and the histopathological examination objectified an arachnoid cyst.&#x0D; Conclusion: Spinal extradural arachnoid cyst can cause neurologic deficit and the mainstay of treatment in patients with neurological symptoms is surgical removal of the cyst together with ligation of the communicating pedicle and closure of the dural defect.

A juvenile case of idiopathic hypertrophic pachymeningitis involved cavernous sinus and proximal trigeminal nerve

AbstractIdiopathic hypertrophic pachymeningitis (HP) is a rare inflammatory disorder characterized by local or diffuse thickening of the cranial or spinal dura mater, which is primarily reported in adults. Here, we report a juvenile idiopathic HP case presenting diplopia and multiple cranial nerve palsies. Although cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) shows evident lesions in cavernous sinus and preganglionic segment of trigeminal nerve, only cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) showed elevated protein (55 mg/dL) and myelin basic protein (MBP, 355 pg/mL) but negative systemic inflammatory markers. Steroid therapy greatly improved the symptom and the CSF data in 1 month.