Objective: To review the clinical research progress of spinal epidural lipomatosis (SEL).
Methods: The clinical studies on SEL at home and abroad in recent years were extensively reviewed, and the pathogenesis, clinical and imaging manifestations, and treatment status of SEL were summarized and analyzed.
Results: SEL is a disease characterized by compression of the spinal cord and nerve roots due to abnormal accumulation of epidural adipose tissue in the spinal canal. Its prevalence and diagnosis rate are low and the pathogenesis is not fully understood. MRI is the most sensitive and specific diagnostic test for SEL. Surgical decompression and removal of excess adipose tissue are the only options for patients with acute SEL or those who have failed conservative management, and conservative management should be considered for other patients.
Conclusion: SEL is a rare disease and related research still needs to be improved. In the future, high-quality, multi-center and large-sample studies will be of great significance for evaluating the choice of treatment methods and effectiveness of SEL patients.
目的: 综述硬膜外脂肪增多症（spinal epidural lipomatosis，SEL）的临床研究进展。.
方法: 广泛查阅近年国内外有关SEL的临床研究，从其发病机制、临床和影像学表现及治疗现状等方面进行总结与分析。.
结果: SEL是一种椎管内硬膜外脂肪组织异常积聚导致脊髓和神经根受压为特征的疾病，其患病率及诊断率较低，发病机制尚不完全清楚，MRI是SEL最敏感和最特异的诊断方式。手术减压和去除多余脂肪组织是急性SEL患者或保守治疗失败患者的唯一选择，其他患者首选保守治疗。.
结论: SEL是一种相对罕见的疾病，相关研究仍需完善，未来高质量、多中心、大样本研究对于SEL患者治疗方式的选择及疗效评估具有重大意义。.
Keywords: Spinal epidural lipomatosis; clinical presentation; conservative management; pathogenesis; surgery management.