2019 Volume 33 Issue 3 Pages 287-290
Spinal epidural angiolipomas are rare benign tumors that generally induce slow progressive cord compression and are commonly found in the thoracic region. Only about 170 cases have been reported. Here, we report two cases of spinal epidural angiolipomas.
Case 1 : A 54-year-old woman underwent total hysterectomy under general and epidural anesthesia in the gynecology department. She experienced weakness in both the lower limbs after the operation. Paralysis improved with medical treatment but numbness in the lower limbs remained. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan revealed an epidural tumor at the Th11-12 levels. Tumor resection was performed, and the pathological diagnosis was indicative of angiolipoma.
Case 2 : A 74-year-old woman initiated medical treatment with prednisolone for rheumatoid arthritis 4 months before admission to our hospital. She began to experience weakness of both the lower limbs, which gradually worsened. MRI scan revealed an epidural tumor at the Th3-5 levels. The patient underwent a laminectomy for gross total excision of the lesion. The tumor was pathologically diagnosed as an angiolipoma. After surgery, paraplegia gradually improved.
Spinal epidural angiolipomas are rare causes of myelopathy, but prompt surgical resection can result in favorable functional outcomes.