Spinal intramedullary epidermoid cysts: Three case presentations and literature review
-
Received: ,
Accepted: ,
Abstract
Background:
True intramedullary epidermoid cysts (IECs) not associated with congenital anomalies or previous spinal procedures are extremely rare. In a review of the literature since 1992, only 29 such cases have been reported. Here, we add three new cases in this category.Case Description:
Three adults presented with spastic paraparesis attributed to thoracic IECs. Gross total microsurgical removal was achieved in two cases, while one case was a partial resection due to capsular adherence to the cord. In all three cases, patients sustained complete recoveries of neurological function and remained symptom free for an average of 5 years follow-up.Conclusion:
IECs are rare lesions; here, the three located in the thoracic spine, contributed to slow, progressive spastic paraparesis with/without incontinence, and resolved following total (2 patients) and partial (1 patient) resection.Keywords
INTRODUCTION
Spinal epidermoid tumors are rare benign lesions, representing < 1% of all intraspinal tumors; most are intradural and extramedullary in location.[16,24,34,36] However, true intramedullary epidermoid cysts (IECs) occurring without spinal dysraphism or prior surgery are even more infrequent, comprising 0.8% of all spinal epidermoid tumors.[4,7,8,13,16,17,21,22,24,33-36]
CASE DESCRIPTION
Here, we present three cases of true IEC and review the literature concerning their overall clinical/radiographic presentation and surgical management.
Case 1
A 40-year-old female presented with a progressive spastic paraparesis and a sensory level bilaterally at T5 over 1 year (e.g. American Spinal Injury Association [ASIA] D classification). The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a well-circumscribed intramedullary tumor at the T3-T4 level that was hypointense on T1 weighted and hyperintense on T2-weighted sequences [Figure 1a and b]. After T3 and T4 laminectomy and dural opening, the cord was enlarged and incised longitudinally in the midline allowing for the identification of a white cheese-like avascular tumor [Figure 1c]. Utilizing a microscope, piecemeal removal was achieved [Figure 1d], leaving a few small patches of capsule densely adherent to the cord, behind. The postoperative course was uneventful, and she regained full function within 3 months that was maintained at 2 postoperative years. Further, the postoperative MRI 1 week later shows no residual tumor [Figure 1e].

Case 2
Progressively over a 3-year period, a 37-year-old female also presented with a spastic paraparesis and paresthesia/sensory level T5 bilaterally (ASIA C classification). The cervicothoracic sagittal MRI showed an intramedullary mass at the T3-T4 level; there was a mixture of hypo and hyperintensities on the T1- and T2-weighted images [Figure 2a and b]. On the fat-suppressed MRI, the entire mass was hyperintense [Figure 2c]. She too underwent T3 and T4 laminectomy with midline myelotomy; an avascular white tumor with sebaceous consistency was found and completely removed, including the entire capsule [Figure 2d and e]. The patient gradually improved over the next 6 months; she was able to ambulate without support (ASIA Class D). Five years later, she was intact (ASIA Class E).

Case 3
A 41-year-old male who also was paraparetic, had an intramedullary IEC at the T3-T4 level that was similarly grossly totally removed, resulting the in the patient’s eventual full and sustained recovery at 8 years follow-up (ASIA Class E) [Figure 3].

DISCUSSION
In 1992, Roux et al. reviewed all true IECs within medical literature and could find 47 cases including a case of their own.[34] We updated the literature and could add 31 more cases including our three new ones [Table 1].[16,24,36] Detailed information about the gender, age, and location of the tumor is shown in separately [Table 2].


MRI characteristically demonstrates a nonhomogeneous, hypodense, or isointense mass on T1-weighted MRI scans attributed to the variable amounts of the lipids and proteins within the tumor. They are hyperintense on T2-weighted image due to the keratin content of the cyst.[1,2,4-10,12-15,17,18,20-23,25-29,33,35,37] The diffusion-weighted MR best demonstrates epidermoid cyst homogeneous hyperintensity.[11,19] With these characteristic features, IECs can be easily differentiated from intramedullary lipoma, teratoma, and arachnoid cyst.[30-32] ECs usually have relatively sharp boundaries without any edema and a minimal amount of rim enhancement with a gadolinium. Calcification is extremely.[2]
Surgical management
Surgical removal is the optimal management of IECs. At surgery, following midline myelotomy, the tumor is typically well demarcated; with a smooth, hypovascular, and capsule that is readily removed in over half of the patients. The other half may exhibit dense adhesions of the capsule to the cord, precluding total excision.[3] During operative dissection, spillage into the subarachnoid space is critical to prevent a postoperative chemical meningitis. Histologically, IECs have a thin capsule of stratified, keratinized, and squamous epithelium that contains an accumulation of desquamated epithelial cells, abundant keratin, small foci of calcifications, and cholesterol clefts.
CONCLUSION
IECs, most often found in the thoracic spine, typically contribute to progressive paraparesis. MR studies typically demonstrate well-circumscribed lesions that may be readily totally or partially excised, resulting in marked postoperative neurological recovery.
Declaration of patient consent
The authors certify that they have obtained all appropriate patient consent forms.Financial support and sponsorship
Nil.Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.REFERENCES
- Asian Spine J. 2011;5:59-63.Cervical intramedullary epidermoid cyst with liquid contents.
- [Google Scholar]
- World Neurosurg. 2019;126:99-100.Unusual calcification in intramedullary epidermoid cyst.
- [Google Scholar]
- Ann Neurol. 1977;2:367-70.Growth rates of epidermoid tumors.
- [Google Scholar]
- J Neurosurg Sci. 2002;46:122-6.Intramedullary epidermoid cyst: Preoperative diagnosis and surgical management after MRI introduction. Case report and updating of the literature.
- [Google Scholar]
- Childs Nerv Syst. 2015;31:793-6.Thoracic intramedullary epidermoid cyst-timely fashion diagnosis and treatment.
- [Google Scholar]
- J Coll Physicians Surg Pak. 2010;20:135-6.Thoracic intramedullary epidermoid with paraplegia for 12 years.
- [Google Scholar]
- Pediatr Neurosurg. 2004;40:120-3.A giant intramedullary spinal epidermoid cyst of the cervicothoracic region.
- [Google Scholar]
- Neurol India. 2000;48:75.Intramedullary spinal epidermoid cyst.
- [Google Scholar]
- Indian J Orthop. 2007;41:395-7.Dorsal intramedullary spinal epidermoid cysts: Report of two cases and review of literature.
- [Google Scholar]
- Egypt Spine J. 2017;22:50-6.Thoracic spinal intradural intramedullary epidermoid cyst: Case report.
- [Google Scholar]
- Case Rep Radiol. 2013;2013:878713.Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging of an intramedullary epidermoid cyst with dorsal dermal sinus tract in a toddler.
- [Google Scholar]
- Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 2013;115:841-3.Intramedullary thoracic spine epidermoid cyst with myelopathic presentations: A report of a rare case.
- [Google Scholar]
- Spinal Cord. 2003;41:645-8.Intramedullary epidermoid cyst presenting with abnormal urological manifestations.
- [Google Scholar]
- J Clin Neurosci. 2009;16:142-4.Intramedullary spinal epidermoid cyst of the upper thoracic region.
- [Google Scholar]
- Asian J Neurosurg. 2014;9:244.Giant intradural intramedullary epidermoid cyst Report of two cases with varied presentations.
- [Google Scholar]
- Arch Dis Child. 1985;60:978-9.Epidermoid spinal cord tumour after lumbar puncture.
- [Google Scholar]
- J Neurosurg. 1999;90:161.Intramedullary epidermoid cyst in cervicodorsal spinal cord.
- [Google Scholar]
- J Spinal Surg. 2016;3:59-62.Epidermoid cyst of the thoracic spine: A rare case.
- [Google Scholar]
- Pediatr Radiol. 2007;37:556-60.Differentiation between pediatric spinal arachnoid and epidermoid-dermoid cysts: Is diffusion-weighted MRI useful?
- [Google Scholar]
- J Pediatr Neurosci. 2010;5:49-51.Intramedullary spinal epidermoid cyst of the cervicodorsal region: A rare entity.
- [Google Scholar]
- Pediatr Neurosurg. 2004;40:16-22.Intramedullary mass lesion of the spinal cord in children of a developing milieu.
- [Google Scholar]
- Spinal Cord. 2005;43:320-3.MRI of epidermoid cyst of the conus medullaris.
- [Google Scholar]
- Korean J Spine. 2008;5:219.Intramedullary epidermoid cyst in thoracolumbar junctiont: A case report.
- [Google Scholar]
- J Neurosurg. 1962;19:754-65.Intraspinal epidermoids.
- [Google Scholar]
- Surg Neurol Int. 2018;9:122.Adult intramedullary epidermoid cyst without spinal dysraphism: A case report.
- [Google Scholar]
- J Korean Soc Spine Surg. 2006;13:142-6.Epidermoid cyst of the conus medullaris and cauda equina a case report.
- [Google Scholar]
- J Neurosci Rural Pract. 2019;10:352-4.Dorsal spinal intradural intramedullary epidermoid cyst: A rare case report and review of literature.
- [Google Scholar]
- J Neurosurg Spine. 2007;7:236-42.Intramedullary inclusion cysts of the cervicothoracic junction. Report of two cases in adults and review of the literature.
- [Google Scholar]
- J Med Case Rep. 2015;9:7.Elderly onset intramedullary epidermoid cyst in the conus medullaris: A case report.
- [Google Scholar]
- Asian Spine J. 2013;7:119-25.Anterior cervical arachnoid cyst.
- [Google Scholar]
- Spine J. 2013;13:e21-5.Intramedullary arachnoid cyst in association with cervical spondylosis: Case report.
- [Google Scholar]
- World Spinal Column J. 2011;2:114-8.Upper cervical intermedullary lipoma with extension into the cistern magna in an elderly: Report of a case and review of the literature.
- [Google Scholar]
- Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 2003;61:867-9.Intramedullary epidermoid tumor: Case report.
- [Google Scholar]
- J Neurosurg. 1992;76:528-33.Intramedullary epidermoid cysts of the spinal cord. Case report.
- [Google Scholar]
- Neurosurg Rev. 1994;17:89-93.Intramedullary epidermoid cyst. A case report.
- [Google Scholar]
- Surg Neurol Int. 2016;7:S67-9.Acquired dorsal intraspinal epidermoid cyst in an adult female.
- [Google Scholar]
- J Neurol Surg A Cent Eur Neurosurg. 2013;74:e1-3.An extensive intramedullary epidermoid cyst with a longstanding history of paraplegia: A case report.
- [Google Scholar]
Fulltext Views
68
PDF downloads
70