Lumbo-sacral Lipomas With Spinal Dysraphism-Their Character, Treatment and Neurological Prognosis

Abstract

Eleven cases of limbo-sacral lipomas with spinal dysraphism were treated in our institute from 1976 to 1991.Their clinical features, treatment and neurological prognosis were analysed retrospectively. Their chief complaints were lumbo-sacral lipomas in nine cases and neurological abnormalities in two cases. Ten out of eleven cases were first presented to our department at the age under two. Surgical treatment were done in nine cases. In six of them only partial resection of lipomas was performed without opening the dura mater. In remining 3 cases the dura mater was opened and the spinal cord and nerves were dissected from the lipoma. Neurological deficits remained in two cases and new neurological deficits appeared in three cases afther the first operations In inadequete operetions or in those whose operations were done after the appearance of neurological disorder the neurological prognosis was not satisfactory. We are now going to resect the lipomas as completely as possible using laser knife under neurological monitoring before neurological symptoms appear in the coming patients.