Dataset Information

Intramedullary spinal cord metastasis from esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: case report and literature review.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Intramedullary spinal cord metastasis (ISCM) of malignant tumors rarely happens. To the best of our knowledge, only five cases of ISCM from esophageal cancer have been reported in literature. We here report the sixth descripted case of ISCM from esophageal cancer.

Case presentation

A 68-year-old male presented with weakness of right limbs and localized neck pain two years after diagnosed esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. The gadolinium enhanced Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of cervical spine showed a mixed-intense intramedullary tumor with typical more intense thin rim of peripheral enhancement in C4-C5. The patient died fifteen days after diagnosis of irreversible respiratory and circulatory failures. An autopsy was refused by his family.

Conclusions

This case highlights the importance of gadolinium enhanced MRI for diagnosis in ISCM. We believe that early diagnosis and surgery for selected patients shows helpfulness to save their neurologic function and improve quality of life.

SUBMITTER: Shen B

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9993626 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Intramedullary spinal cord metastasis from esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: case report and literature review.

Shen Beiduo B Ba Zhaoyu Z Huang Yufeng Y Wu Desheng D

BMC neurology 20230308 1

<h4>Background</h4>Intramedullary spinal cord metastasis (ISCM) of malignant tumors rarely happens. To the best of our knowledge, only five cases of ISCM from esophageal cancer have been reported in literature. We here report the sixth descripted case of ISCM from esophageal cancer.<h4>Case presentation</h4>A 68-year-old male presented with weakness of right limbs and localized neck pain two years after diagnosed esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. The gadolinium enhanced Magnetic resonance imag ...[more]

PMID: 36890455

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Project description:Intramedullary spinal cord abscess (ISCA) is a rare clinical pathology of the central nervous system that usually accompanies other underlying comorbidities. Traditionally it has been associated with significant mortality and neurological morbidities because it is often difficult to diagnose promptly, owing to its nonspecific clinical and neuroimaging features. The mortality rate and the outcome of these infections have been improved by the introduction into clinical practice of antibiotics, advanced neuroimaging modalities, and immediate surgery. We report the case of a 65-year-old male patient who presented with a progressive spastic gait and lumbar pain, predominantly in the left leg. An MRI image revealed an expansile intramedullary cystic mass in the thoracic spinal cord, which was initially diagnosed as a spinal tumor. He underwent laminectomy and myelotomy, and eventually the pus was drained from the abscess. The follow-up MRI showed improvement, but the patient's paraplegia persisted. In light of his persistent hypoesthesia and paraplegic gait with developing neuropathic pain, he was readmitted, and an MRI of his lumbar spine revealed multilevel degenerative disease and tethered spinal cord syndrome with compression of the medulla at the L2-L3 level. The patient underwent central flavectomy with bilateral foraminotomy at the L2-L3 level, and the medulla was decompressed. Postoperatively, his neurological symptoms were significantly improved, and he was discharged from hospital on the third day after admission. In support of our case, we systematically reviewed the recent literature and analyzed cases published between 1949 and May 2022, including clinical features, mechanisms of infection, predisposing factors, radiological investigations, microbial etiologies, therapies and their duration, follow-ups, and outcomes. Initial clinical presentation can be misleading, and the diagnosis can be challenging, because this condition is rare and coexists with other spinal diseases. Hence, a high index of suspicion for making an accurate diagnosis and timely intervention is required to preclude mortality and unfavorable outcomes. Our case is a clear example thereof. Long-term follow-up is also essential to monitor for abscess recurrences.

Dataset Information

Intramedullary spinal cord metastasis from esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: case report and literature review.

Background

Case presentation

Conclusions

Publications

Intramedullary spinal cord metastasis from esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: case report and literature review.

Similar Datasets

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