Intramedullary lipoma of the cervical and thoracic spinal cord

ABSTRACT

We report the case of a patient with quadriparesis due to a cervicothoracic intramedullary lipoma unassociated with spinal dysraphism. Intraspinal lipomas are usually associated with spinal dysraphism but in rare cases this association does not exist. Once the symptoms develop surgery does not usually result in any improvement in the neurological symptoms. Early Magnetic Resonance Imaging in patients with symptoms is recommended so that the tumour may he removed before permanent neurological deficit develops