Child ; Cranial Nerves ; pathology ; Eyelids ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Ophthalmoplegia ; etiology ; Polyradiculopathy ; complications

OBJECTIVETo review the literature on the clinical progress in cauda equina syndrome (CES), including the epidemic history, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment policy and prognosis. Data sources All reports on CES in the literature were searched in PubMed, Ovid, Springer, Elsevier, and the Chinese Biomedical Literature Disk using the key terms "cauda equina syndrome", "diagnosis", "treatment", "prognosis" and "evidence-based medicine". Study selection Original milestone articles and critical reviews written by major pioneer investigators about the cauda equina syndrome were selected.

RESULTSCES is rare, both atraumatically and traumatically. Males and females are equally affected. The incidence of CES is variable, depending on the etiology of the syndrome. The most common cause of CES is herniation of a lumbar intervertebral disc. CES symptoms may have sudden onset and evolve rapidly or sometimes chronic ally. Each type of CES has different typical signs and symptoms. Low back pain may be the most significant symptoms, accompanied by sciatica, lower extremities weakness, saddle or perianal hypoesthesia, sexual impotence, and sphincter dysfunction. MRI is usually the preferred investigation approach. Patients who have had CES are difficult to return to a normal status.

CONCLUSIONSThe diagnosis of CES is primarily based on a careful history inquiry and clinical examination, assisted by elective radiologic investigations. Early diagnosis and early surgical decompression are crucial for a favorable outcome in most CES cases.

Evidence-Based Medicine ; methods ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Polyradiculopathy ; diagnosis ; etiology ; pathology

Pseudotumor cerebri is a condition of increased intracranial pressure in the absence of clinical, laboratory or radiological pathology. Spinal intradural hematoma formation after lumboperitoneal shunt (LPS) implantation is very rare, but it can cause sudden and serious deterioration. In this report, we present a patient who developed an intradural hematoma following LPS operation. A 27-year-old male patient suffering from headaches and progressive vision loss was diagnosed with pseudotumor cerebri. He underwent LPS operation in January 2009. Four hours after the operation, he developed urinary and fecal incontinence with paraparesis (1/5). Lumbar magnetic resonance imaging identified an intradural hematoma at the level of L2-L3, and he was reoperated. The intradural hematoma was removed. Physical therapy was started because of paraparesis. Two months later, the patient's muscle strength had increased to 3/5. Surgeons must remember that, LPS implantation can cause a spinal intradural hematoma in a small percentage of patients, with catastrophic results.
Adult ; Fecal Incontinence ; Headache ; Hematoma* ; Humans ; Intracranial Pressure ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Muscle Strength ; Paraparesis* ; Pathology ; Polyradiculopathy ; Pseudotumor Cerebri

Pseudotumor cerebri is a condition of increased intracranial pressure in the absence of clinical, laboratory or radiological pathology. Spinal intradural hematoma formation after lumboperitoneal shunt (LPS) implantation is very rare, but it can cause sudden and serious deterioration. In this report, we present a patient who developed an intradural hematoma following LPS operation. A 27-year-old male patient suffering from headaches and progressive vision loss was diagnosed with pseudotumor cerebri. He underwent LPS operation in January 2009. Four hours after the operation, he developed urinary and fecal incontinence with paraparesis (1/5). Lumbar magnetic resonance imaging identified an intradural hematoma at the level of L2-L3, and he was reoperated. The intradural hematoma was removed. Physical therapy was started because of paraparesis. Two months later, the patient's muscle strength had increased to 3/5. Surgeons must remember that, LPS implantation can cause a spinal intradural hematoma in a small percentage of patients, with catastrophic results.
Adult ; Fecal Incontinence ; Headache ; Hematoma* ; Humans ; Intracranial Pressure ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Muscle Strength ; Paraparesis* ; Pathology ; Polyradiculopathy ; Pseudotumor Cerebri

Spontaneous spinal epidural haematoma is a rarely encountered cause of back pain. It often leads to cauda equina syndrome, necessitating emergency spinal surgery. We report the case of a 19-year-old Chinese man who presented with pain in the lower back, which started after he had carried some heavy boxes. He denied a history of fall or trauma. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging showed a hyperintense biconvex-shaped lesion in the posterior epidural space on both T1- and T2-weighted sequences, diagnostic of a spinal epidural haematoma. The patient, who was admitted and managed conservatively, had gradual resolution of his pain. No neurological deficit was detected on discharge or on follow-up. Repeat MR imaging showed total resolution of the lumbar spinal epidural haematoma. The clinical characteristics, MR imaging features, diagnosis and management of spontaneous spinal epidural haematoma are discussed.
Adult ; Edema ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Female ; Hematoma, Epidural, Spinal ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Humans ; Low Back Pain ; diagnosis ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polyradiculopathy ; diagnosis ; Young Adult

Calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD) deposition disease, also known as pseudogout, is a disease that causes inflammatory arthropathy in peripheral joints, however, symptomatic involvement of the intervertebral disc is uncommon. Herein, we describe a 59-yr-old patient who presented with cauda equina syndrome. Magnetic resonance imaging of the patient showed an epidural mass-like lesion at the disc space of L4-L5, which was compressing the thecal sac. Biopsy of the intervertebral disc and epidural mass-like lesion was determined to be CPPD deposits. We reviewed previously reported cases of pseudogout involving the lumbar intervertebral disc and discuss the pathogenesis and treatment of the disease.
Calcium Pyrophosphate/metabolism ; Chondrocalcinosis/etiology ; Diskectomy ; Humans ; Intervertebral Disc/pathology/surgery ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polyradiculopathy/*diagnosis/pathology/radiography ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

A 52-year-old woman presented with lower back pain, progressive symmetrical paraparesis with sensory impairment, and sphincter disturbance. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the whole spine revealed multiple intradural extramedullary serpiginous-mass lesions in the subarachnoid space continuously from the prepontine to the anterior part of the medulla oblongata levels, C7, T2-T8, and T12 vertebral levels distally until the end of the theca sac and filling-in the right S1 neural foramen. Sparganosis was diagnosed by demonstration of the sparganum in histopathological sections of surgically resected tissues and also by the presence of serum IgG antibodies by ELISA. DNA was extracted from unstained tissue sections, and a partial fragment of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene was amplified using a primer set specific for Spirometra spp. cox1. After sequencing of the PCR-amplicon and alignment of the nucleotide sequence data, the causative agent was identified as the larva of Spirometra erinaceieuropaei.
Animals ; Antibodies, Helminth/blood ; Electron Transport Complex IV/genetics ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Helminth Proteins/genetics ; Histocytochemistry ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G/blood ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Middle Aged ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Polyradiculopathy/*pathology ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Sparganosis/*diagnosis/*pathology ; Spine/radiography ; Spirometra/classification/genetics/*isolation & purification