Anterior sacral meningocele infected with Fusobacterium in a patient with recently diagnosed colorectal carcinoma - a case report

Presacral tumors: A systematic review of literature

Presacral/Retrorectal tumors (RRT) are rare lesions that comprise a multitude of histological types. Data on surgical management are limited to case reports and small case series. The aim of the study was to provide a comprehensive review of the epidemiology, pathological subtypes, surgical approaches, and clinical outcomes. A PubMed search using terms "retrorectal tumor" and "presacral tumor" was used to identify articles reporting RRT of non-urological, non-gynecologic, and non-metastatic origin. Articles included were between 2015 and 2023. A total of 68 studies were included, comprising 570 patients. About 68.2% of patients were female, and the mean overall age of both sexes was 48.6 years. Based on histopathology, 466 patients (81.8%) had benign lesions, and 104 (18.2%) were malignant. In terms of surgical approach, 191 (33.5%) were treated anteriorly, 240 (42.1%) through a posterior approach, and 66 (11.6%) combined. The mean length of stay was 7.6 days. Patients treated using the posterior approach had a shorter length of stay (5.7 days) compared to the anterior and combined approaches. RRT are rare tumors of congenital nature with prevalence among the female sex. R0 resection is crucial in its management, and minimal access surgery appears to be a safer option in appropriate case selection.

Severe bacterial meningitis due to an enterothecal fistula in a 6-year-old child with Currarino syndrome: evaluation of surgical strategy with review of the literature

Meningitis is a rare but serious complication in patients with Currarino syndrome. We present a 6-year-old girl with a fulminant meningitis due to an enterothecal fistula involving the anterior sacral meningocele. Initial treatment consisted of broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotic therapy and laparoscopic construction of a deviating double-loop ileostomy. This was followed by an elective posterior neurosurgical approach with a sacral laminectomy, evacuation of the empyema, and securing the disconnection of the anterior meningocele from the thecal sac, 10 days after initial hospital admission. The girl made a good postoperative recovery. The treatment strategy in the setting of meningitis due to an inflamed anterior meningocele is discussed and the available literature on the topic is reviewed.