Background: Intramedullary epidermoid cyst (IEC), typically associated with spinal dysraphism, is rare, with fewer than 80 such cases reported in the literature. Here we present an adult with an IEC without spinal dysraphism.
Case description: A 41-year-old female presented with the gradual onset of a progressive spastic paraparesis attributed to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-documented D8-9 intramedullary lesion. Following microsurgical excision of the IEC, she fully recovered.
Conclusion: IECs are rare lesions, typically found in conjunction with spinal dysraphism. Utilizing MRI studies to document the lesion location, gross total microsurgical excision is the procedure of choice. Early excision of these benign lesions maximizes functional recovery.
Keywords: Dysraphism; epidermoid; intramedullary; spinal.