A Case of The Surgically Treated Intraspinal Extradural Meningeal Cyst Demonstrating 'Ball-Valve' Mechanism of Formation

ABSTRACT

The intraspinal extradural meningeal cyst is a rare cause of compression of spinal cord. The most common clinical presentation is a slowly progressive myelopathy, but our case was presented with polyradiculopathy at admission. The authors believe that our case is particularly attributable to a ball-valve mechanism involving an idiopathic dural rent and a herniated segment of an underlying dorsal rootlet in the operative finding. As in our case, magnetic resonance imaging provides accurate diagnosis to identify an intraspinal extradural meningeal cyst. Closure of dural rent with marsupialization of the meningeal cyst through minimal laminectomy can be successfully managed with favorable clinical outcome as in our case.