The Intrasacral Meningocele

Abstract

Meningeal diverticula arising as a protrusion of the arachnoid through a weak place in the dura are called sacral meningoceles. They occur in the sacral region and produce local vertebral erosions. Eleven cases of this rare and potentially progressive lesion were detected on 3250 CT examinations of the lumbosacral spine. The pathogenesis and clinical picture of the condition are reviewed. Intrasacral meningoceles are well displayed on CT and MRI scans, although the diagnosis may also be established at myelography. Such arachnoid cysts should be distinguished from lumbosacral dural anomalies observed in von Recklinghausen neurofibromatosis. Surgical excision should be carried out before irreversible nerve root changes occur.

Evaluation and Treatment for Spinal Cord Tethering in Patients with Anorectal Malformations

“…The overall incidence of SCT in ARM has been reported as 20 -64% [1,4,6,8,9,17]. SCT can present late and insidiously with progressive orthopedic, bowel and urological involvement [12]. Orthopedic involvement can include gait disturbance, atrophy of various muscle groups or the entire limb, limb length discrepancy, scoliosis, abnormal reflexes, sensory disturbance, gait abnormality and back/leg pain.…”

“…Bowel involvement can include fecal incontinence or chronic constipation. Urological involvement can include neurogenic bladder dysfunction consisting of urinary incontinence, vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), recurrent urinary tract infections and enuresis [12,19].…”

“…Boemers et al [3] showed that no Class I or II clinical evidence exists for untethering surgery and advocated a prospective randomized clinical trial of untethering surgery for the treatment of asymptomatic SCT. Several authors have demonstrated that the majority of symptomatic patients experienced a significant relief of orthopedic symptoms such as weakness, sensory abnormalities and pain after untethering surgery [3,7,10,12,19]. However, urological symptoms such as urinary incontinence/retention and bowel symptoms such as fecal incontinence/constipation were incompletely resolved.…”

Unusual presentation of intrasacral meningocele: A case report and overview

“…MRI is more sensitive and specific than computerized tomography in the detection of meningocoeles. [ 9 ] MRI scan of intrasacral meningocele shows an extradural cyst with smooth contours present in the sacral spinal canal with no neural elements noted inside the cyst.…”