Ventral Schwannoma of the Thoracolumbar Spine.
- Author:
Hitoshi YAMAHATA
1
;
Satoshi YAMAGUCHI
;
Masanao MORI
;
Fumikatsu KUBO
;
Hiroshi TOKIMURA
;
Kazunori ARITA
Author Information
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords: Spinal schwannoma; Intradural lesion; Ventral schwannoma; Giant
- MeSH: Humans; Low Back Pain; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Neurilemmoma*; Paraparesis; Spinal Cord; Spinal Neoplasms; Spine*
- From:Asian Spine Journal 2013;7(4):339-344
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: We report two patients with ventral schwannoma in the thoracolumbar region manifesting as low back pain with or without paraparesis. In both patients magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a heterogeneously-enhanced intradural extramedullary mass in the thoracolumbar region. The tumors were successfully removed via the posterior approach. Their histology was consistent with schwannoma. Postoperative MRI showed no evidence of a tumor in either patient. Spinal schwannomas are common benign intradural extramedullary spinal neoplasms; most arise from the dorsal- and very few from the anterior roots. A literature review revealed that ventral schwannomas, including giant tumors as in the one from case 2 in our study, affect mainly the cervical region, and most are surgically addressed via the posterior approach. Careful handling of the spinal cord is mandatory for satisfactory surgical results.
