Open AccessConus medullaris syndrome due to an intradural disc herniation: A case report
Author(s) -
Kshitij Chaudhary,
Mukta Bapat
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
indian journal of orthopaedics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.434
H-Index - 33
eISSN - 1998-3727
pISSN - 0019-5413
DOI - 10.4103/0019-5413.38590
Subject(s) - conus medullaris , medicine , surgery , spinal cord compression , dura mater , paraplegia , spinal cord , radiology , magnetic resonance imaging , psychiatry
A 70-year-old male patient developed acute paraplegia due to conus medullaris compression secondary to extrusion of D12-L1 disc. After negative epidural examination intraoperatively, a durotomy was performed and an intradural disc fragment was excised. Patient did not regain ambulatory status at two-year follow-up. Intraoperative finding of negative extradural compression, tense swollen dura and CSF leak from ventral dura should alert the surgeon for the possibility of intradural disc herniation. A routine preoperative MRI is misleading and a high index of suspicion helps to avoid a missed diagnosis.