Peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor causing cauda equina syndrome with destruction of L5 vertebra

Sarvdeep Dhatt; Mandeep S Dhillon; Sujit K Tripathy; Tarun Goyal; V Jagadeesh

doi:10.4103/0019-5413.65153

Peripheral primitive neuroectodermal tumor causing cauda equina syndrome with destruction of L5 vertebra

Indian J Orthop. 2010 Jul;44(3):339-41. doi: 10.4103/0019-5413.65153.

Authors

Sarvdeep Dhatt¹, Mandeep S Dhillon, Sujit K Tripathy, Tarun Goyal, V Jagadeesh

Affiliation

¹ Department of Orthopedics, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Sector 12, Chandigarh - 160 012, India.

Abstract

A 24-year-old male patient presented with cauda equina lesion symptoms. His clinicoradiological examination including X-rays, CT scan and MRI revealed destruction of L(5) vertebral body, pedicle and a mass extending to lateral recess and left intervertebral foramina causing pressure over the thecal sac. A CT guided FNAC was inconclusive. Open biopsy and hemilaminectomy of L(5) vertebra was performed. Histopathology and immunocytochemical analysis revealed it to be primitive neuroectodermal tumor. Patient was given chemotherapy and radiation therapy. His lower limb power improved by grade I post operatively and at 2 years follow-up bowel/bladder recovery was noticed. Patient died after 2.5 years of surgery because of pulmonary metastasis.

Keywords: Cauda equina syndrome; primitive neuro-ectodermal tumor; spinal tumor.