Endometriosis of the conus medullaris causing cyclic radiculopathy.

Journal Article (Journal Article)

Intramedullary spinal cord hematomas are a rare neurosurgical pathological entity typically arising from vascular and neoplastic lesions. Endometriosis is an extremely rare cause of intramedullary spinal cord hematoma, with only 5 previously reported cases in the literature. Endometriosis is characterized by ectopic endometrial tissue, typically located in the female pelvic cavity, that causes a cyclical pain syndrome, bleeding, and infertility. In the rare case of intramedullary endometriosis of the spinal cord, symptoms include cyclical lower-extremity radiculopathies and voiding difficulties, and can acutely cause cauda equina syndrome. The authors report a case of endometriosis of the conus medullaris, the first to include radiological, intraoperative, and histopathological imaging. A brief review of the literature is also presented, with discussion including etiological theories surrounding intramedullary endometriosis.

Full Text

Duke Authors

Cited Authors

  • Steinberg, JA; Gonda, DD; Muller, K; Ciacci, JD

Published Date

  • November 2014

Published In

Volume / Issue

  • 21 / 5

Start / End Page

  • 799 - 804

PubMed ID

  • 25192376

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1547-5646

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.3171/2014.7.SPINE14117

Language

  • eng

Conference Location

  • United States