Intramedullary subependymoma of the thoracic spinal cord

Abstract

We report a rare case of a thoracic intramedullary subependymoma in a 37-year-old woman. The patient developed a monoparesis of the right leg after a subtotal resection of the tumor. During the 30 months of follow-up the neurological deficit improved and the patient remained symptom free without progression of the remnant tumor. A complete resection of the tumor is usually curative with improved function. However, aggressive surgery may cause either worsening of an existing deficit or the development of new deficits. In patients with poor delineation between the tumor and the spinal cord, subtotal removal and close follow-up should be considered.