Cauda Equina Syndrome Caused by Idiopathic Epidural Lipomatosis

Acute neurologic decline in a patient with spinal stenosis: blame it on the epidural fat

Spinal epidural lipomatosis [SEL] is defined as an excessive accumulation of extradural normal adipose tissue. This condition may be idiopathic or acquired. Surgical decompression is considered the gold standard treatment in patients presenting with progressive neurologic deficit. We report a case of a 69-year-old male patient presented with neurogenic claudication and lower left limb radiculopathy. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a L5-S1 epidural compression sustained by a large epidural plaque whose signal was consistent with adipose tissue. A conservative approach, including weight loss attempt, revealed unsuccessful and the patient presented some months after the diagnosis at the emergency department with acute onset bilateral drop foot, more severe on the right side and urinary disturbances. Microsurgical decompression via L5 laminectomy and partial L4 laminectomy and fatty plaque debulking was performed. The post operative course was uneventful and at the two months post operative follow up the patient reported a significative improvement of the pre operative neurological signs and symptoms and of pain control. SEL deserves attention as an identifiable cause of radiculopathies, typically attributed to spinal stenosis, with a higher incidence than previously reported. Moreover cases of acute onset of cauda equina like syndrome were reported in patent affected by SEL, probably related to a local venous engorgement with stasis and edema. Therefore it should be considered as a possible diagnosis not only in patients complaining of stenosis-type symptoms but also in cases of acute neurological decline with cauda equina like syndrome, especially when provided with a "benign" imaging reading.

Spinal Epidural Lipomatosis Causing Lumbar Canal Stenosis: A Pictorial Essay on Radiological Grading and the Role of Bariatric Surgery Versus Laminectomy

Spinal epidural lipomatosis (SEL) is a rare condition characterized by an excessive accumulation of adipose tissue in the spinal canal that can have a compressive effect on intraspinal neuroanatomical structures, leading to clinical symptoms. Several different conservative and surgical treatment strategies have been proposed but the treatment and outcomes remain controversial. There is a lack of severity-based evidence documenting the success of decompressive laminectomy in SEL and there are only anecdotal reports of clinico-radiological success with weight loss from bariatric surgery. This article demonstrates the resolution of SEL in two patients with bariatric surgery with the help of pre and postoperative MR imaging. The authors also highlight the classic “types” of spinal epidural lipomatosis with a surgically relevant grading system and elucidate the existence of concurrent extraspinal lipomatosis (i.e. mediastinal and intra-abdominal lipomatosis), drawing parallels with the natural history of SEL. The controversial question remains whether a symptomatic SEL patient needs a multilevel laminectomy for spinal decompression or bariatric surgery that can indirectly help the spinal condition. We propose that bariatric intervention could be better frontline management in patients with multifocal/multisystem lipomatosis (i.e., combined spinal and extraspinal) and spinal decompression would be ideal for those SEL patients with coexisting bony and/or ligamentous spinal canal or foraminal stenosis. This manuscript serves as a comprehensive and contemporary update on the radiological profile and two plausible treatment paths and will look toward further verification by a randomized clinical trial.

Disorders of the Cauda Equina

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Cauda equina dysfunction (often referred to as cauda equina syndrome) is caused by a diverse group of disorders that affect the lumbosacral nerve roots. It is important to recognize dysfunction of the cauda equina quickly to minimize diagnostic delay and lasting neurologic symptoms. This article describes cauda equina anatomy and the clinical features, differential diagnosis, and management of cauda equina disorders.

RECENT FINDINGS

The diagnosis of disorders of the cauda equina continues to be a challenge. If a compressive etiology is seen, urgent neurosurgical intervention is recommended. However, many people with clinical features of cauda equina dysfunction will have negative diagnostic studies. If the MRI is negative, it is important to understand the diagnostic evaluation and differential diagnosis so that less common etiologies are not missed.

SUMMARY

Cauda equina dysfunction most often occurs due to lumbosacral disk herniation. Nondiskogenic causes include vascular, infectious, inflammatory, traumatic, and neoplastic etiologies. Urgent evaluation and surgical intervention are recommended in most cases of compressive cauda equina syndrome. Other types of treatment may also be indicated depending on the etiology.

Lumbar cystic epidural lipomatosis with mass effect. Report of an unusual case

We present a rare case of symptomatic cystic lumbar spinal epidural lipomatosis that required surgical treatment via a minimally invasive tubular laminectomy. To our knowledge this is the first pathology confirmed report of compressive cystic lumbar spinal epidural lipomatosis available in literature.

Spinal Epidural Lipomatosis: A Review of Pathogenesis, Characteristics, Clinical Presentation, and Management

STUDY DESIGN

Narrative review of available literature.

OBJECTIVE

To summarize current trends in pathogenesis and management of spinal epidural lipomatosis (SEL) and suggest areas where more research would be of benefit.

METHODS

The available literature relevant to SEL was reviewed. PubMed, Medline, OVID, EMBASE, Cochrane, and Google Scholar were used to review the literature. Institutional review board approval is not applicable for this study.

RESULTS

This article clearly summarizes current trends in the pathogenesis and management of SEL.

CONCLUSIONS

Possible etiologies of SEL include exogenous steroid use, endogenous steroid hormonal disease, obesity, surgery induced, and idiopathic disease. Comorbidities such as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and Scheuermann's disease have also been implicated in the pathogenesis of SEL. Steroid-induced SEL seems to have a proclivity for the thoracic region of the spine and has a higher incidence of paraplegia when compared with other forms. Several treatment modalities exist for SEL and are dictated by the underlying cause of the disorder. These include weight reduction, cessation of steroid medications, treatment of underlying endocrine abnormalities, and surgical decompression. Conservative treatments generally aim to decrease the thickness of adipose tissue in the epidural space, but the majority of patients tend to undergo surgical decompression to relieve neurologic symptoms. Surgical decompression provides a statistically significant reduction in symptoms, but postoperative mortality is high, influenced primarily by the patient's preoperative comorbidities. Physicians should consider the underlying cause of SEL in a given patient before pursuing specific treatment modalities, but alarm symptoms, such as the development of acute cauda equina syndrome, should likely be treated with urgent surgical decompression.

Epidural lipomatosis with cauda equina syndrome in chronic alcoholic patient: A case report

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Case of epidural lipomatosis with cauda equina syndrome in chronic alcoholic patient is provided.

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Posterior decompression was applied and neurologic deficit was significantly recovered.

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MRI is the best imaging tool of choice. Short T1 inversion recovery (STIR) sequence may be useful for confirmation of diagnosis as lipid is hypointense in this sequence.

Introduction

Epidural lipomatosis of the lumbar spine is a rare condition, which is described as the accumulation of fat in the extradural territory.

Presentation of case

We report the case of a 60-year-old, non-obese, and chronic alcoholic man who was transferred to our spine department with cauda equina syndrome (CES) for 4 months. On magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), spinal epidural lipomatosis (SEL) was confirmed in the multilevel lumbar lesion. A decompression surgery was performed and the patient recovered significantly.

Discussion

The patient was not obese, had no abnormal liver laboratory test results, and no history of steroid injection or administration. The clinical signs at onset suggested bilateral lower cauda equina dysfunction, indicating a more diffuse involvement, consistent with lumbosacral epidural lipomatosis.

Conclusion

This case report is the first description of SEL in a non-obese, chronic alcoholic patient who was neither receiving steroids nor had any kind of endocrinopathy.