Intramedullary spinal cysticercosis

Abstract

Intramedullary cysticercosis of the spinal cord is rare; there have been only 26 previous cases. We describe a patient with low back pain, paraparesis, lumbosacral sensory loss, and signs of meningeal irritation. The clinical diagnosis was spinal cord tumor, but at surgery there was a cysticercus cyst within the lumbosacral cord. Careful search did not reveal the parasite in any other part of the body. This is the first case of spinal cysticercosis reported in Japan.

Thoracic Intramedullary Cysticercosis. Two Case Reports.

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][9][10][11][12][13][14]16,18,19,24,25,28) An analysis of 753 cases of neurocysticercosis found the incidence of spinal intramedullary cysticercosis to be 0.77%. 26) About 50% of patients harbored the parasite in other sites, such as the brain (30%) and muscles (25%).…”

“…13) Extradural involvement is rare. Intramedullary involvement is uncommon, 3,22) with only 45 reported cases since 1881. [1][2][3]5,7,[9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]23,25,28) We report two cases of spinal intramedullary cysticercosis, and analyze the indications for surgical treatment.…”

Intramedullary spinal cysticercosis: response to albendazole: case reports and review of literature

“…Leptomeningeal forms may be seen in association with cysticerci of the posterior cranial fossa and are best explained by downward migration of the cysts from the basal cisterns of the brain into the spinal canal through the cerebrospinal uid pathways. 1,4 Hematogenous spread is responsible for intramedullary spinal cysticercosis. Rarely, leptomeningeal lesions can also have a haematogenous origin.…”

“…Hydromyelic cavities may occur as a consequence of intramedullary cysts resulting in de®cits over a larger area of involvement. 1,7,8 The clinical manifestations of spinal neurocysticercosis are directly related to the location of the parasite. Intramedullary cysts cause motor weakness and a sensory level distal to the level of the lesion.…”

“…Involvement of spinal cord has variably been reported to be 1 ± 5%. 1,2 We report two cases of intramedullary spinal neurocysticercosis, which is a rare disease.…”