Intradural spinal lipoma: Report of a thoracic case and a lumbar case

Abstract

The indications for surgery and the optimal surgical strategy for intradural spinal lipomas are still being debated. The article presents two cases of intradural spinal lipoma that were treated with subtotal resection and decompression. The patients were two adults, one with a thoracic intradural spinal lipoma and one with a lumbar lesion of the same type. Both were admitted to hospital with progressive neurological symptoms and pain. Both cases were treated with spinal cord decompression through subtotal tumor resection. The surgery resulted in immediate improvement in the neurological status of both patients. Lipomas are benign tumors that grow very slowly and may change size according to alterations in body fat level. In symptomatic cases, the surgical strategy should be decompression of the spinal cord through subtotal resection of the tumor.