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Background: Symptoms of cauda equina syndrome (CES) secondary to degenerative lumbar spine diseases are sometimes mild and tend to be ignored by patients, resulting in delayed treatment. In addition, the long-term efficacy of surgery is unclear., Objective: To determine the predictive factors of CES and post-operative recovery in patients with symptoms lasting > 3 months., Methods: From January 2011 to December 2020, data of 45 patients with CES secondary to lumbar disk herniation/lumbar spinal stenosis were collected from a single center. The patients had bladder, bowel or sexual dysfunction and decreased perineal sensation that lasted for > 3 months. A 2-year post-operative follow-up was conducted to evaluate recovery outcomes, which were measured by validated self-assessment questionnaires conducted by telephone and online., Results: Overall, 45 CES patients (57.8% female; mean age, 56 years) were included. The duration of pre-operative CES symptoms was 79.6 weeks (range, 13-730 weeks). The incidence of saddle anesthesia before decompression was 71.1% (n = 32), bladder dysfunction 84.4% (n = 38), bowel dysfunction 62.2% (n = 28) and sexual dysfunction 64.4% (n = 29). The overall recovery rate of CES after a 2-year follow-up was 64.4%. The rates of the residual symptoms at the last follow-up were as follows: saddle anesthesia 22.2%, bladder dysfunction 33.3%, bowel dysfunction 24.4% and sexual dysfunction 48.9%. Pre-operative saddle anesthesia, overactive bladder and sexual dysfunction were risk factors for poor prognosis after decompression., Conclusion: CES patients with symptoms lasting > 3 months may recover after surgery. Sexual dysfunction has a high residual rate and should not be ignored during diagnosis and treatment., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

This case offers a safe and effective method for treating lumbopelvic dissociation in a pediatric patient with cauda equina syndrome using a triangular osteosynthesis construct. After a high-speed accident, an 11-year-old girl was admitted to the hospital with bowel and bladder incontinence and bilateral lower extremity weakness. The orthopaedic trauma and spine teams elected for surgical treatment with a triangular osteosynthesis construct, a procedure usually reserved for adults. The surgery was uncomplicated, and the patient experienced complete resolution of her preoperative symptoms. She is doing well over 1-year postoperatively, with full neurologic recovery, maintained reduction, bony healing, and subsequent implant removal. To our knowledge, this is the youngest reported case of lumbopelvic dissociation treated in this manner and represents a viable treatment option., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.)

Case: "Baastrup's disease" is a relatively common anatomical condition, controversially recognized as a possible cause of back pain but frequently missed by clinicians of different specialties. We present a rare case of Baastrup's disease causing compression to the cauda equina nerves due to the formation of a large pseudotumoral epidural mass. The patient underwent a successful surgical decompression with remarkable improvement in her neurological presentation. The histopathological findings consisted of increased collagen deposition and chondroid metaplasia., Conclusion: Clinicians should be aware of possible cauda equina syndrome in rare cases of Baastrup's disease due to pseudotumoral mass compression in the lumbar spine., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest forms are provided with the online version of the article (http://links.lww.com/JBJSCC/B864)., (Copyright © 2022 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Incorporated.)

Cauda equina syndrome (CES) involves compression of some or all of the lumbar and sacral peripheral nerve roots. However, there is a lack of consensus in the literature regarding the exact diagnosis criteria in this patient population. Much of the pathophysiology has been studied regarding the onset of this condition; however, the long-term effects are not able to be accurately predicted at this time. Recent literature has associated timing to surgical decompression, severity of symptoms at time of onset, and involvement of bladder dysfunction as prognostic indicators of CES., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: The long-term use of an oral corticosteroid suppresses immunity. Here, we describe a case involving a patient with weakness in the bilateral lower extremities due to cytomegalovirus (CMV) lumbosacral polyradiculitis., Case Presentation: A 64-year-old man visited a university hospital for symmetric motor weakness in both lower extremities (Medical Research Council grade: 2). Symptoms started 1 month before and gradually aggravated. The patient had been taking oral prednisolone for 10 years in order to control pain in multiple joints due to seronegative rheumatoid arthritis. He also had neuropathic pain on the entire right lower extremity and voiding difficulty. Gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging revealed enhancement along the entire lumbosacral nerve roots. In the cerebrospinal fluid analysis (CSF), elevated white blood cell (WBC) count (19 cells/μL) and protein level (142.5 mg/dL) were observed. CMV detection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was positive. We diagnosed the patient as having lumbosacral polyradiculitis due to CMV. Ganciclovir (250 mg twice daily) was administered intravenously. Two months after initiating Ganciclovir, in the CSF analysis, CM detection by PCR was negative, and no WBC was found., Conclusion: We reported a patient who had symmetric motor weakness in the bilateral lower extremities induced by CMV lumbosacral polyradiculitis. Its occurrence seems to be related to immunosuppresion due to the long-term use of an oral corticosteroid. When a patient who is taking an oral corticosteroid shows motor weakness in the bilateral lower extremities, CMV lumbosacral polyradiculitis is one of the possible disorders to be differentiated., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Cauda equina syndrome (CES) can have devastating neurological sequelae if surgical treatment is delayed. However, out-of-hours surgery (weekdays from 6:00 pm to 8:00 am and all weekend operations) can potentially result in higher rates of intraoperative complications, resulting in worse outcomes. In the present study, we have described our outcomes for patients with CES during an 8-year period (December 2011 to October 2019) with the aim of assessing the risk of out-of-hours surgery., Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of inpatient events and outcomes at 6 months of follow-up. Patient demographics, symptoms, and management data were extracted, and a risk factor analysis was performed using logistic regression. The outcome measures were the incidence of complications and symptom changes at follow-up. Symptom outcome changes between 2 time points were analyzed using repeated measures., Results: A total of 278 patients were included in the present study. Surgery out-of-hours (P = 0.018) and prolonged operations (P = 0.018) were significant risk factors for intraoperative complications. Improved outcomes at 6 months of follow-up were found for lower back pain, sciatica, altered saddle sensation, and urinary sphincter disturbance, with no significant changes for the remaining symptoms. Out-of-hours surgeries did not significantly affect individual symptom outcomes., Conclusions: Our analysis has suggested that emergency decompressive surgery for patients with CES does not result in worsening of outcomes with out-of-hours surgery compared with in-hours. However, our findings also showed that no clear benefit exists to expediting surgery for those with severe presentations. Thus, decompressive surgery should be undertaken at the earliest possible time to safely do so., (Crown Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the long-term clinical outcomes after surgical decompression in cauda equina syndrome (CES) and see if any preoperative patient-related factors contributed to this outcome., Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in the electronic databases of PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Ovid. Data regarding outcome parameters from eligible studies were extracted. Meta-analysis was performed using a random-effect model., Results: A total of 852 patients (492 males and 360 females), with a mean age of 44.6 ± 5.5 years from 22 studies diagnosed with cauda equina syndrome and undergoing surgical decompression, were included in the meta-analysis; however, not all studies reported every outcome. The mean follow-up period was 39.2 months, with a minimum follow-up of 12 months in all included studies. Meta-analysis showed that on long-term follow-up, 43.3% [29.1, 57.5] (n=708) of patients had persistent bladder dysfunction. Persistent bowel dysfunction was observed in 31.1% [14.7, 47.6] (n=439) cases, sensory deficit in 53.3% [37.1, 69.6] (n=519), motor weakness in 38.4% [22.4, 54.4] (n=490), and sexual dysfunction in 40.1% [28.0, 52.1] (n=411). Decompression within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms was associated with a favourable outcome in terms of bladder function with 24.6% [1.6, 50.9] (n=75) patients having persistent dysfunction, whereas 50.3% [10.3, 90.4] (n=185) of patients in studies with a mean time to decompression after 48 hours had persistent bladder dysfunction. Other factors such as speed of onset and sex of the patients were not found to significantly impact long-term bladder outcomes., Conclusion: The long-term outcomes of CES after decompression are enumerated. Decompression within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms appears to result in fewer patients with persistent bladder dysfunction. However, a randomized controlled trial is required to conclusively determine whether early decompression leads to better outcomes., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Study Design: A prospective patient's database operated on a cauda equina syndrome (CES)., Objective: The aim of our study was to identify prognosis factors for favorable functional recovery after CES., Summary of Background Data: CES is a neurologic impairment of variable symptoms associating urinary, bowel, and sexual dysfunctions with or without motor or sensitive deficits caused by nerve root compression of the cauda equina. The definition of CES remains debated, as well as the prognosis factors for favorable functional recovery and the benefit of early surgery., Methods: One hundred forty patients were included between January 2010 and 2019. Univariate and multivariate cox proportional hazard regression models were conducted., Results: The patients were young with a median age of 46.8 years (range 18-86 yrs). At presentation, 60% were affected by a motor deficit, 42.8% a sensitive deficit, 70% urinary dysfunctions, and 44% bowel dysfunctions. The mean follow-up was 15.5 months. Bilateral motor deficit (P = 0.017) and an initial deficit severity of 0 to 2 (P = 0.001) represented prognosis factors of poor motor recovery. Initial anal incontinence (P = 0.007) was associated with poor bowel recovery. Only 32.8% of the patients went back to work. Initial motor deficit (P = 0.015), motor sequelae (P = 0.001), sphincter dysfunctions sequelae (P = 0.02), and long LOS (P = 0.02) were poor return-to-work prognosis factors. Time to surgery within an early timing < 24 or 48 hours or later did not represent a prognosis factor of recovery in CES. Incomplete versus complete CES did not show better recovery., Conclusion: CES remains a profound disabling syndrome with poor functional prognosis: in the long run, few patients go back to work. The main prognosis factors established in our series regarded the initial severity of deficits whether motor or sphincteral. Early or later surgical cauda equina decompression did not show to represent a prognosis factor for functional recovery.Level of Evidence: 4., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Cauda equina syndrome is a rare clinical condition that requires prompt diagnosis and timely surgical decompression with postoperative rehabilitation to prevent devastating complications., Case Presentation: A 55-year-old Sinhalese woman presented with a vulval abscess, with a history of involuntary leakage of urine for the last 7 years. Her sexual activity has been compromised due to coital incontinence, and she had also been treated for recurrent urinary tract infections during the last 7 years. On examination, a distended bladder was found. Neurological examination revealed a saddle sensory loss of S2-S4 dermatomes. There was no sensory loss over the lower limbs. Bladder sensation was absent, but there was some degree of anal sphincter tone. Motor functions and reflexes were normal in the limbs. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed L5-S1 spondylolisthesis. Ultrasound imaging confirmed the finding of a distended bladder, in addition to bilateral hydroureters with hydronephrosis. An incision and drainage with concomitant intravenous antibiotics were started for the vulval abscess. An indwelling catheter was placed to decompress the bladder and to reduce vulval excoriations due to urine. Bilateral ureteric stenting was performed later for persistent hydronephrosis and hydroureter despite an empty bladder., Conclusion: This is a tragic case that illustrates the devastating long-term sequelae that ensues if cauda equina syndrome is left undiagnosed. It reiterates the importance of prompt referral and surgical decompression., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Background Context: Cauda equina syndrome (CES) occurs due to compression of the lumbar and sacral nerve roots and is considered a surgical emergency. Although the condition is relatively rare, the associated morbidity can be devastating to patients. While substantial research has been conducted on the timing of treatment, the literature regarding long-term rates of bladder dysfunction in CES patients is scarce., Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify long-term rates of bladder dysfunction in CES patients and to compare those rates to non-CES patients who underwent similar spinal decompression., Study Design/setting: Retrospective database study., Patient Sample: The CES cohort was comprised of 2,362 patients who underwent decompression surgery following CES diagnosis with a 5-year follow-up. These patients were matched to 9,448 non-CES control patients who underwent spinal decompression without a diagnosis of CES., Outcome Measures: Diagnosis of bladder dysfunction, surgical procedure to address bladder dysfunction METHODS: Using the national insurance claims database, PearlDiver, CES patients who underwent decompression surgery were identified and 1:4 matched to non-CES patients who underwent similar spinal decompression surgery. The 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year rates of progression to a bladder dysfunction diagnosis and surgical intervention to manage bladder dysfunction were recorded. The CES and non-CES groups were compared with univariate testing, and an analysis of risk factors for bladder dysfunction was performed with multivariate logistic regression analysis., Results: A total of 2,362 CES patients who underwent decompression surgery were identified and matched to 9,448 non-CES control patients. After 5 years, CES patients had a 10%-12% increased absolute risk of continued bladder dysfunction and a 0.7%-0.9% increased absolute risk of undergoing a surgical procedure for bladder dysfunction, as compared to matched non-CES patients. Multivariate analysis controlling for age, sex, obesity, tobacco use, and diabetes, identified CES as independently associated with increased 5-year risk for bladder dysfunction diagnosis (odds ratio [OR]: 1.72; 95% confidence interaval [CI] 1.56-1.89; p<.001) and procedure (OR: 1.40; 95% CI 1.07-1.81; p=.012)., Conclusions: Understanding the long-term risk for bladder dysfunction in CES patients is important for the future care and counseling of patients. Compared to non-CES patients who underwent similar spinal decompression, CES patients were observed to have a significantly higher long-term likelihood for both bladder dysfunction diagnosis and urologic surgical procedure., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Spinal sparganosis of the cauda equina has been rarely reported. A 54-year-old man presented at the hospital after having experienced lower back pain for 10 months, progressive weakness and numbness of the left leg for 4 months, and urinary incontinence for 3 weeks. Magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbosacral spine revealed a heterogeneous enhancing mass at the T12-S1 level. Spinal sparganosis was diagnosed by histological examination and molecular identification of the parasite in the tissue section. The patient was treated with a high dose of praziquantel because the parasitic mass was only partially removed and symptoms worsened following surgery.

Background: Occlusive abdominal aortic thrombus is a rare but critical clinical emergency with life-threatening consequences. Clinical presentation may mimic other diagnoses, resulting in a delay in the appropriate investigations for this condition. Spinal arterial involvement is a recognized complication of aortic thrombus and can result in pain, lower limb weakness, and loss of continence. These symptoms are usually associated with local spinal compression or stenosis manifesting as cauda equina syndrome (CES): a clinical finding of disrupted motor and sensory function to the lower extremities and bladder., Case Report: We present a case of a 60-year-old female patient presenting with back pain, leg weakness, paresthesia, and urinary incontinence. She was urgently investigated for cauda equina syndrome via a magnetic resonance imaging scan of the spine, which subsequently demonstrated a large occlusive abdominal aortic thrombus. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Nontraumatic acute thrombosis of the aorta is a life-threatening condition that may present with apparent neurological symptoms. In this patient there was both a relevant history and evolving clinical signs pointing toward a vascular etiology; however, the clinical findings were confusing and CES evaluation was prioritized. CES remains a medical emergency requiring urgent investigation and management. However, knowledge of spinal anatomy including vascular supply may help widen the differential. Physicians and associate specialists should consider this at clinical assessment and also when interpreting imaging of the spine. Any delay in diagnosing an aortic thrombosis has the potential for catastrophic clinical consequences., (Crown Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The new German S3 guideline on Lyme neuroborreliosis is intended to provide physicians with scientifically based information and recommendations on the diagnosis and treatment of this disease., Methods: The scientific literature was systematically searched and the retrieved publications were assessed at the German Cochrane Center (Deutsches Cochrane Zentrum) in Freiburg in the 12 months beginning in March 2014. In addition to the main search terms "Lyme disease," "neuroborreliosis," "Borrelia," and "Bannwarth," 28 further terms relating to neurological manifestations of the disease were used for the search in the Medline and Embase databases and in the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials., Results: In the treatment of early Lyme neuroborreliosis, orally administered doxycycline is well tolerated, and its efficacy is equivalent to that of intravenously administered beta-lactam antibiotics (penicillin G, ceftriaxone, and cefotaxime) (relative risk [RR]: 0.98, 95% confidence interval [CI]: [0.68; 1.42], P = 0.93). 14 days of treatment suffice for early Lyme neuroborreliosis, and 14-21 days of treatment usually suffice for late (chronic) Lyme neuroborreliosis., Conclusion: Lyme neuroborreliosis has a favorable prognosis if treated early. The long-term administration of antibiotics over many weeks or even months for putative chronic Lyme neuroborreliosis with nonspecific symptoms yields no additional benefit and carries the risk of serious adverse effects.

BACKGROUND Epidural venous plexus (EVP) engorgement occurs due to many conditions, so it can be easily misdiagnosed. This becomes problematic when the diagnosis requires prompt treatment for a good outcome, especially when it results in cauda equina syndrome (CES). We report a case of extensive iliocaval thrombosis leading to epidural venous plexus and ascending lumbar vein engorgement as an outcome of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) due to probable adverse effects of oral combined contraceptive pills (OCCP). CASE REPORT A 42-year-old woman presented to a rural medical facility with bilateral lower-limb swelling and skin darkening for 2 days. She was transferred to a tertiary medical facility where her condition deteriorated to severe CES. A lower-limbs ultrasonography confirmed the presence of extensive DVT extending to the lower segment of the inferior vena cava. Spine magnetic resonance imaging showed abnormal enhancement of the conus medullaris with thick enhanced cauda equina nerve roots, consistent with a possible case of Guillain-Barré syndrome. However, there was engorgement of the EVP extending to the ascending lumbar, azygos, and hemiazygos veins, which was misdiagnosed. The patient was managed immediately with low-molecular-weight heparin and steroids. She died 4 weeks after admission due to hospital-acquired pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome, probably due to the high dose of steroids. CONCLUSIONS Acute CES has a wide differential diagnosis. This report describes an unusual cause of CES and emphasizes the importance of early recognition to avoid misdiagnosis and management delay. Early identification of this clinical entity markedly decreases morbidity and mortality and thus improves the prognosis. Likewise, underlying causing factors such as venous congestion due to OCCP-related DVT should be considered in the diagnosis.

Rationale: Neuraxial anesthesia is a commonly used type of regional anesthesia. Cauda equina syndrome is an unusual and severe complication of neuraxial anesthesia, and is caused by damage to the sacral roots of the neural canal. We present a case of cauda equina syndrome following spinal anesthesia in a patient who underwent Bartholin abscess drainage., Patient Concerns: A 23-year old female scheduled to undergo surgical drainage of Bartholin abscess. Spinal anesthesia was performed with bupivacaine and fentanyl. There were no perioperative adverse events reported. On postoperative day 1, the patient went to the emergency department describing bilateral weakness and pain of the lower extremities (LE)., Diagnoses: Lumbar magnetic resonance imaging showed increased gadolinium accumulation in the neural sheath at the level of the cauda equina tracts, consistent with the diagnosis of arachnoiditis and the diagnosis of cauda equina was established., Interventions: The patient received the following emergent treatment: 75 mg pregabalin (oral) every 12 hours, 20 mg (8 drops) tramadol (oral) every 8 hours, and 4 mg dexamethasone (intravenous) every 6 hours. On postoperative day 4, the patient still experienced bilateral flaccid paraparesis (accentuated in the left side), neuropathic pain in low extremities, and left brachial monoparesis. Hence, dexamethasone was instantly replaced with 1 g methylprednisolone (intravenous) for 5 days., Outcomes: After completing 5 days of methylprednisolone, on postoperative day 9, the patient experienced less pain in left extremities, osteotendinous reflexes were slightly diminished, and she was able to walk with difficulty for 3 to 5 minutes. Greater mobility was evidenced, with right proximal and distal low extremities Medical Research Council Scale grades of 2 and 3 and left proximal and distal low extremities Medical Research Council Scale grades 1 and 2, respectively. Oral prednisone was restarted. Consequently, she was discharged home in stable conditions on postoperative day 25 with a prescription for sertraline, clonazepam, pregabalin, paracetamol, and prednisone., Lesson: The early detection and treatment of complications after neuraxial anesthesia is essential to minimize the risk of permanent damage.

A 63-year-old man developed a syndrome of cauda equine, with the numbness which is a left lower extremity from the left buttocks, weakness of left leg, and a dysfunction of bladder and bowel. Enhanced MRI revealed the enhancement of lower cauda equine, and a nerve conduction test revealed decreased F-wave persistency in the tibial nerve and increased F-wave latency in the peroneal nerve on the both sides. M-proteinemia was admitted and myeloma was suspected. By a biopsy of a vertebral arch, we diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. We treated with dexamethasone and R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, hydroxydaunorubicin, oncovin, prednisone (prednisolone)), then the symptom was improved. In case of caude equine syndrome with M-proteinemia, a possibility of the malignant lymphoma should also be considered.

A 19-year-old woman presented with a history of severe lower backache and asymmetric proximal lower limb weakness during the past 3 months. In addition, she also suffered from lower motor neuron-type bladder and bowel symptoms. On examination, paraparesis was noted. Further, sensory examination suggested patchy asymmetric sensory loss in both lower limbs with saddle anaesthesia and areflexia. A clinical diagnosis of Conus-Cauda syndrome was made and contrast-enhanced MRI of the lumbar and sacral spine was done, which confirmed the presence of a mass lesion within the spinal canal involving the cauda equina extending up to the sacral level. She underwent partial resection of the lesion following which the neurological deficits and lower backache resolved. Histopathological evaluation and immunohistochemical analyses uncovered Rosai-Dorfman disease. There was no evidence of disease elsewhere in the body. Since the patient improved significantly following surgery and exhibited no further neurological worsening, she remains under close follow-up., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.)

Background: We report a series of 3 cases of metastatic thymoma to the spine with spinal cord compression. An extensive literature review of thymic metastases to the spine was completed to provide a comprehensive appraisal of current prognostic indicators and potential treatment algorithms to help guide clinicians in treatment management., Case Descriptions: Between 2000 and 2017, 3 patients received diagnoses of thymic metastases to the spine at our institution. Metastasis presentation occurred from 2 to 8 years after the initial diagnosis with thymic cancer. All 3 patients presented with signs and symptoms of spinal cord/cauda equina compression, and underwent surgical intervention. Postoperative treatments varied among all 3 patients, 1 receiving chemotherapy, another undergoing radiation, and the third having had no further treatment because of extensive systemic disease., Conclusions: Upon review of the literature, 16 case reports/series described 28 total patients with spine metastases secondary to thymoma/thymic carcinoma. The presentations varied widely, including age, neurologic deficits, time from initial diagnosis to metastasis, and histologic grading. The only widely accepted prognostic factor is completeness of tumor resection, whereas clinical staging, histologic type, or both may also have prognostic value. Thus, gross total resection and spinal decompression should be prioritized in cases of surgical intervention. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are generally recommended. However, given the lack of standardized treatment algorithms, individualized regimens should be formulated on a case-specific basis., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

When a dural defect is encountered during spine surgery, the dura mater must be reconstituted to minimize the occurrence of minor or major life-threatening sequelae. The neurosurgical literature lacks strategies for managing large dural defects encountered during surgery. The authors describe a 24-year-old man who developed cauda equina syndrome secondary to altered CSF flow in a large thoracolumbar arachnoid cyst. Surgical decompression and fenestration of the arachnoid cyst were performed, and the large dural defect was treated using a multilayer closure with collagen matrix, titanium mesh, and methylmethacrylate. At his 24-month postoperative follow-up, the patient had recovered full strength in his legs, and his sensory deficits and sexual dysfunction had resolved. His incision had healed well, and there were no signs of pseudomeningocele. He had no additional positional headaches. The defect was managed effectively with this technique. Although this technique is not a first-line strategy for dural closure in the spine, it can be considered in challenging cases when large dural defects are not amenable to traditional closure techniques.

Background: Arachnoid cysts of spine are a very rare occurrence. The aetiology still remains unclear, but the most accepted explanation is the existence of areas of weakness in the spinal dura. Symptoms depend on the location in the spine. Magnetic resonance imaging is used for its diagnosis. Management depends of clinical presentation, and the surgery is reserved for patients with neurological impairment., Clinical Case: A case is described of 67 year-old male with myelopathy and radiculopathy symptoms, both diagnosed simultaneously. The magnetic resonance imaging was used to diagnose a thoracolumbar extradural arachnoid cyst from T12-L2 and lumbar spinal canal stenosis. The patient was treated with a puncture procedure to empty the cyst and decompress the neural elements. There was a clinical improvement of myelopathy syndrome after puncture procedure. One month later, the patient underwent a minimally invasive surgical approach to decompress the neural elements in lumbar spine, achieving improvement of the radiculopathy syndrome and neurogenic claudication in both legs., Conclusion: There is currently no standard minimally invasive approach to surgically treat these cysts, but if the patient has mild symptoms, clinical observation is recommended., (Copyright © 2016 Academia Mexicana de Cirugía A.C. Publicado por Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Correlation between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and clinical features in cauda equina syndrome (CES) is unknown; nor is known whether there are differences in MRI spinal canal size between lumbar herniated disc patients with CES versus lumbar herniated discs patients without CES, operated for sciatica. The aims of this study are 1) evaluating the association of MRI features with clinical presentation and outcome of CES and 2) comparing lumbar spinal canal diameters of lumbar herniated disc patients with CES versus lumbar herniated disc patients without CES, operated because of sciatica., Methods: MRIs of CES patients were assessed for the following features: level of disc lesion, type (uni- or bilateral) and severity of caudal compression. Pre- and postoperative clinical features (micturition dysfunction, defecation dysfunction, altered sensation of the saddle area) were retrieved from the medical files. In addition, anteroposterior (AP) lumbar spinal canal diameters of CES patients were measured at MRI. AP diameters of lumbar herniated disc patients without CES, operated for sciatica, were measured for comparison., Results: 48 CES patients were included. At MRI, bilateral compression was seen in 82%; complete caudal compression in 29%. MRI features were not associated with clinical presentation nor outcome. AP diameter was measured for 26 CES patients and for 31 lumbar herniated disc patients without CES, operated for sciatica. Comparison displayed a significant smaller AP diameter of the lumbar spinal canal in CES patients (largest p = 0.002). Compared to average diameters in literature, diameters of CES patients were significantly more often below average than that of the sciatica patients (largest p = 0.021)., Conclusion: This is the first study demonstrating differences in lumbar spinal canal size between lumbar herniated disc patients with CES and lumbar herniated disc patients without CES, operated for sciatica. This finding might imply that lumbar herniated disc patients with a relative small lumbar spinal canal might need to be approached differently in managing complaints of herniated disc. Since the number of studied patients is relatively small, further research should be conducted before clinical consequences are considered.

There is a lack of information and consensus regarding the optimal treatment for recurrent disc herniation previously treated by posterior discectomy, and no reports have described an anterior approach for recurrent disc herniation causing cauda equina syndrome (CES). Revision posterior decompression, irrespective of the presence of CES, has been reported to be associated with significantly higher rates of dural tears, hematomas, and iatrogenic nerve root damage. The authors describe treatment and outcomes in 3 consecutive cases of patients who underwent anterior lumbar discectomy and fusion (ALDF) for CES caused by recurrent disc herniations that had been previously treated with posterior discectomy. All 3 patients were operated on within 12 hours of presentation and were treated with an anterior retroperitoneal lumbar approach. Follow-up ranged from 12 to 24 months. Complete retrieval of herniated disc material was achieved without encountering significant epidural scar tissue in all 3 cases. No perioperative infection or neurological injury occurred, and all 3 patients had neurological recovery with restoration of bladder and bowel function and improvement in back and leg pain. ALDF is one option to treat CES caused by recurrent lumbar disc prolapse previously treated with posterior discectomy. The main advantage is that it avoids dissection around epidural scar tissue, but the procedure is associated with other risks and further evaluation of its safety in larger series is required.

Sacral perineural (Tarlov) cysts are benign, cerebrospinal fluid containing lesions of the spinal nerve root sheath. They are usually asymptomatic; however, a small proportion have the potential to cause compression of nerve roots and/or the cauda equina.We report a case of a 61-year-old man who presented with acute onset back pain associated with bilateral radiculopathy. Between referral and consultation, the patient developed urinary dysfunction which resolved spontaneously.MRI revealed haemorrhage within a Tarlov cyst, resulting in compression of the cauda equina. Due to the considerable clinical improvement at the time of consultation, surgical decompression of the cyst was not considered to be indicated.An interval MRI scan 8 weeks later demonstrated that the haemorrhage within the perineural cyst had spontaneously resolved and the patient remained asymptomatic at 5-year follow-up., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.)

A 63-year-old man presented with right-sided hemianopia and unsteady gait. Brain MRI revealed multiple hyperintense infarct-like lesions on diffusion-weighted images (DWI). Hyperintensity persisted in some of these lesions even after 6 weeks, although his symptoms were ameliorated then. The patient developed episodic dizziness and a transient event of apraxia at 18 weeks after the first episode. Brain MRI revealed additional hyperintense lesions on DWI, which persisted even after 7 weeks. Eventually, the patient manifested cauda equina syndrome 39 weeks after the first episode. Brain MRI showed the presence of new lesions in addition to the persistent hyperintense lesions on DWI over 21 weeks in the right frontal lobe. Based on laboratory findings and the pathological assessment of bone marrow and random skin biopsies, the patient was diagnosed with intravascular lymphoma (IVL). Persistent hyperintense lesions on DWI of brain MRI may precede the clinical exacerbation of IVL., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.)

Background: Migration of the bullet within the spinal subarachnoid space has long been recognized as unusual complication of spinal gunshot injury., Objective: We report a case of migratory low velocity intradural lumbosacral spinal bullet causing cauda equina syndrome. The relevant literature is reviewed and all cases of migratory spinal bullet are summarised, and management strategies are discussed., Study Design: Literature review., Methods: A 32-year-old male suffered abdominal gunshot injury for which emergency laparotomy and repair of colonic perforation were performed. The bullet was seen lodged within the sacral spinal canal behind the S1 vertebral body. The probable entry point was at L2-L3 level. Caudal migration of the bullet within the spinal subarachnoid space leads to the appearance of cauda equina syndrome., Results: Bullet was retrieved following upper sacral and lower lumbar laminectomy. Prone positioning of the patient had lead to cranial migration of the bullet at L4 level which was confirmed on fluoroscopy. Laminectomy had to be extended upwards with the patient in reverse Trendelenburg position for bullet removal., Conclusions: Caudal migration of the bullet within the lumbosacral subarachnoid space results in cauda equina syndrome. Surgical retrieval of the bullet ensures the early recovery of neurological symptoms. Prone patient positioning can influence bullet location. Intraoperative fluoroscopy prior to skin incision is essential in addition to preoperative imaging to locate the bullet and thus avoid incorrect lower level laminectomy. Trapping the bullet after durotomy using suction and dissector in reverse Trendelenburg position is a useful aid in bullet removal.

Isolated epidural abscesses are uncommon lesions. Surgical treatment may be difficult due to the extension of these lesions. We present a case of a pelvic abscess spreading along the path of the sciatic nerve to the gluteus muscles and the lumbar canal, causing neurological compression; requiring surgical treatment with three simultaneous approaches., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Combined spinal anesthesia and postoperative epidural analgesia is widely used in orthopedic surgery. Uncommon but serious neurologic complications of neuraxial anesthesia (NA) include direct trauma during needle or catheter insertion, central nervous system infections, and neurotoxicity of local anesthetics. Cauda equina syndrome (CES) is a rare complication after NA but can result in severe neurologic deterioration that may require surgical intervention. We present a case of a 69-year-old woman with postpolio syndrome who developed CES after combined spinal anesthesia and postoperative epidural analgesia. Perioperative observations and follow-up examinations, including magnetic resonance imaging, revealed no evidence of direct needle- or catheter-induced trauma, spinal hematoma, spinal ischemia, intraneural anesthetic injection, or infection. We speculate that CES symptoms were observed because of enhanced sensitivity to a combination of regional anesthetic technique-related microtrauma and neurotoxicity of bupivacaine and ropivacaine. Thus, practitioners should be aware that patients with preexisting neurologic diseases may be at increased risk for CES after NA., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This is the case report of a contained ruptured aortic aneurysm presenting with acute cauda equina syndrome. The patient was a 79-year-old man. A literature search revealed various unusual presentations of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), including femoral neuropathy, hip pain and others; however, there are no other reports of cauda equina-like syndrome. The present case is therefore another unusual presentation of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm and reiterates the utmost importance of careful history taking and clinical examination. Abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of sudden onset isolated lower limb neuropathies and or pain., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: None declared., (2017 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.)

Low back pain during pregnancy is a common cause of medical consultation. Although back pain is very common, the incidence of low back pain secondary to lumbar disk herniation in pregnancy is low (1: 10,000). Cauda equina syndrome from lumbar disk herniation is a serious complication. The delay in diagnosis and treatment can be a cause of chronic disability secondary to neurological sequelae. Numerous cases of disk herniation in pregnancy have been reported, however the association of a cauda equina syndrome as a result of disk herniation is rare. A case is presented of cauda equina syndrome in a pregnant woman at 12-week gestation., (Copyright © 2015 SECOT. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background: Arachnopathy following meningitis has been described in the setting of chronic spinal arachnoiditis and more recently as shunt-related progressive myelopathy due to meningeal thickening., Case Description: We describe an atypical case of a patient who presented with chronic arachnopathy 5 decades after an episode of meningitis. We also review the literature concerning arachnopathies occurring in the context of early childhood meningitis. Although our case bore clinical and radiologic similarities to chronic spinal arachnoiditis and shunt-related progressive myelopathy, time to symptom onset, intraoperative findings, pathophysiology, and surgical outcome set it apart from both conditions., Conclusions: It is challenging but worthwhile to recognize this separate entity because, in contrast to both shunt-related progressive myelopathy due to meningeal thickening and adhesive arachnoiditis, surgery involving microsurgical dissection of the thick arachnoid encasement of the cauda equina may be curative in medically refractory cases., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Cauda equina syndrome (CES) is an uncommon entity that may be caused by a variety of conditions. It refers to dysfunction of the ventral, dorsal, sacral, and coccygeal nerve roots in the region of the filum terminale. We present a case of a 32-year-old woman with a history of BRCA1-positive metastatic breast cancer who complained of lower extremity muscle weakness increasing over a 2-week period and decreased sensation of the lower extremities accompanied by severe constipation and suspected urinary retention with overflow incontinence. The patient underwent whole-body F-FDG PET/CT and MRI of the spine with and without gadolinium-based contrast.

This report describes the circumstances of a patient with a cauda equina syndrome due to the development of a lumbar subdural CSF collection with ventral displacement of the cauda equina shortly following posterior fossa decompression for Chiari malformation Type I (CM-I). This unusual, but clinically significant, complication was successfully treated with percutaneous drainage of the extraarachnoid CSF collection. Although there are a few cases of intracranial subdural hygroma developing after surgery for CM-I, often attributed to a pinhole opening in the arachnoid, as far as the authors can determine, a spinal subdural hygroma associated with surgery for CM-I has not been recognized.

An 83 years old physician, doing only office work and no exercise, presented with cauda equine, due to a large intervertebral disk hernia between L1-L2 vertebrae, after an unorthodox movement. He also had a facet syndrome, a muscular spasm in the gluteus, a small fracture in the periphery of the body of the L2 vertebra and pain in the L4-L5, due to a previous vertebral hernia five years ago. All L1-L5 left lateral area was painful. He felt an unbearable pain. He also had a degree of paralysis of the gastrointestinal (GI) and the genitourinary system. He could not take analgesics or anti-inflammatory drugs per os because of the paralysis of the GI system. His pain was relieved only by intramuscular injections of parecoximbe (a cyclooxigenase-2 inhibitor, COX-2). The disc hernia was treated without surgery. After 43 days in bed, he was able to start exercising in order to treat muscles' atrophy.

Background: Intrathecal disc herniation is a rare but serious condition that has the potential to generate devastating neurologic deficits. We present a case of a 56-year-old man who developed cauda equina syndrome after several episodes of severe Valsalva maneuver., Case Description: The patient was found to have developed subacute urinary retention and leg weakness. Magnetic resonance imaging findings were concerning for an unusual-appearing lesion extending cranially at L2-3. Urgent decompression via an L2 laminectomy, exploration, and subsequent discectomy was performed. The patient recovered exceptionally well, regaining bladder function and ultimately being able to ambulate without assistance., Conclusions: Cranially extending intrathecal disc herniations are a rare phenomenon and exceptionally uncommon above L3. The clinician should have a high level of suspicion for herniation when looking at the clinical and historical information consistent with such a diagnosis even in the presence of ambiguous imaging findings., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Imperforate hymen with hematometrocolpos in adolescent females is a rare pediatric condition. Classical presentation includes abdominal pain or a pelvic mass in female patients with primary amenorrhea. Atypical complaints and reluctance among emergency physicians to perform genital examination in the emergency department or the pediatric emergency department (PED) may delay correct diagnosis., Case Report: We report a unique, cauda equina syndrome-like presentation of hematometrocolpos secondary to imperforate hymen in a 13-year old, previously healthy girl with primary amenorrhea. In the PED, the unusual clinical presentation of severe back pain and urinary incontinence initially mimicked cauda equina syndrome and led to delayed correct diagnosis. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: The novelty of this case is a cauda equina-like presentation of imperforate hymen secondary to hematocolpos. This report illustrates the highly variable clinical presentation of this rare gynecological pediatric entity. It underlines the importance of considering this rare condition in the differential diagnosis of severe upper or lower back pain alongside voiding abnormalities including urinary retention and incontinence in adolescent females with primary amenorrhea. Above all, the importance of performing a thorough history and genital examination in this subgroup early in the investigation process in the PED emerges from this case. Essentially, excellent clinical judgment and genital examination by the emergency physician may minimize unnecessary radiological investigations and ultimately, accelerate correct diagnosis and expedite appropriate surgical treatment. However, not only pediatric and adult emergency physicians, but also pediatricians and general practitioners should be aware of this entity and its diverse clinical presentation., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Aim To analyze the relationship between timing of surgery and outcome in patients with cauda equina syndrome caused by lumbar disc herniation. Methods A retrospective, non-randomized clinical study included 25 consecutive patients with cauda equina syndrome (CES) caused by lumbar disc herniation. All patients were operated within 24 hours after hospitalization at the Department of Neurosurgery, Cantonal Hospital Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina, between January 2000 and December 2010. All patients were evaluated before surgery on the basis of complete history, neurological examination and neuroimaging evaluations using CT (computed tomography)and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). Results Statistically significant difference between preoperative and postoperative bladder (p=0.05) and bowel (p=0.05) function was found. A significant number of patients had bladder and bowel recovery after surgery, nine (36%) and 11 (44%), respectively. Significant recovery of muscle strength was noted with complete recovery(5/5) in 12 (48%) and partial recovery in 13 (52%) patients. Complete sensory recovery was noted in 16 (64%), incomplete in four (16%), and in five (20%) patients there were no changes. Most commonly, patients with complete sensory recovery were operated within 48 hours of symptom onset. In most patients early surgery was associated with better outcome. Conclusion This research showed that early decompression correlated with better outcome. Patients with cauda equina syndrome must be cleared for surgery in optimal conditions and, if it possible within optimal timing for recovery (within 48 hours)., (Copyright© by the Medical Assotiation of Zenica-Doboj Canton.)

To evaluate the feasibility and clinical efficacy of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) for cauda equina syndrome (CES) caused by disc herniation. 16 patients with CES caused by LDH at the early and middle stages of Shi's classification were selected as the objects of study, who underwent PELD. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the Macnab criteria and the visual analogue scale (VAS). The VAS for leg pain and back pain significantly decreased from preoperative scores of 7.67 ± 1.23 and 7.52 ± 1.42, respectively, to postoperative scores of 1.71 ± 0.53 and 3.18 ± 0.72. Thirteen patients showed favorable results. Complications included one patient of motor weakness, and one patient developed an ipsilateral recurrent herniation who finally acquired satisfactory result after reoperation. Hence, PELD could be used as an alternative surgical method for the treatment of CES in properly selected cases and appropriate patient selection and a reasonable surgical approach will give rise to better outcomes.

Spinal epidural lipomatosis is a rare condition which is described as the accumulation of fat in the extradural territory and often causes dural impingement. Spinal epidural lipomatosis has been implicated in causing a variety of neurologic impairments ranging from back pain, radiculopathy, claudication, myelopathy or even cauda equina syndrome. We report a 46-year-old female with obesity and a history of chronic back pain and radiculopathy who developed idiopathic Spinal epidural lipomatosis diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging. The purpose of this report is to present a case of spinal epidural lipomatosis presenting with symptomatic cord compression and also remind this rare condition as a the differential diagnosis of epidural lesions in patients with risk factors.

Objective: To determine whether surgical treatment delayed for more than 48 hours in patients with cauda equina syndrome (CES) influenced the clinical outcome., Material and Methods: A retrospective study of 18 patients treated in our hospital from March 2000 to January 2012, after presenting with CES. The pre- and post-operative clinical status was determined: existence of back pain and/or sciatica, sensory disturbance in the perineum, sensory and motor deficits in the lower extremities, and the degree of sphincter incontinence (complete or incomplete CES). A clinical assessment was performed using the Oswestry disability index., Results: As regards the onset of symptoms, 44% (8 of 18) of patients were treated at an early stage (within 48 hours). None of the patients with complete CES operated in the early stage had urinary incontinence, and also had greater motor recovery. Of the 5 patients with complete CES who underwent delayed surgery, 3 showed residual urinary incontinence. A mean of 12.55 was obtained on the Oswestry disability index scale at the end of follow-up., Conclusion: Although no statistically significant difference was found in our study, we observed greater motor and sphincter recovery in patients who were operated on within 48 hours., (Copyright © 2016 SECOT. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Symptoms of cauda equina syndrome due to ependymoma in the conus medullaris or filum terminale develop slowly. However, hemorrhagic change inside spinal tumors can induce acute neurologic decline. Here, we report a case of posttraumatic hemorrhage inside a filum terminale myxopapillary ependymoma presenting as acute neurologic decline, which had a positive prognosis after surgical resection., Methods: A 28-year-old man presented with buttock pain, sensory disturbance, and motor weakness of bilateral lower extremities after falling on ice during smelt fishing. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a mixed-intensity hemorrhagic intradural mass extending from L1 to L2., Results: The patient underwent emergent surgical decompression and resection. Pathologic examination revealed a myxopapillary ependymoma with intratumoral hemorrhage. After surgery, the patient demonstrated gradual improvement in neurologic deficits and no tumor recurrence., Conclusions: This is the first case of a filum terminale myxopapillary ependymoma with an acute neurologic decline after injury. Early diagnosis and treatment are associated with favorable outcomes.