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Endometriosis of the conus medullaris causing cyclic radiculopathy: Case report
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Endometriosis of the conus medullaris causing cyclic radiculopathy: Case report

Jeffrey A Steinberg, David D Gonda, Karra Muller and Joseph D Ciacci
Journal of neurosurgery. Spine, Vol.21(5), pp.799-804
11/2014
DOI: 10.3171/2014.7.SPINE14117
PMID: 25192376

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Abstract

Intramedullary spinal cord hematomas are a rare neurosurgical pathological entity typically arising from vascular and neoplastic lesions. Endometriosis is an extremely rare cause of intramedullary spinal cord hematoma, with only 5 previously reported cases in the literature. Endometriosis is characterized by ectopic endometrial tissue, typically located in the female pelvic cavity, that causes a cyclical pain syndrome, bleeding, and infertility. In the rare case of intramedullary endometriosis of the spinal cord, symptoms include cyclical lower-extremity radiculopathies and voiding difficulties, and can acutely cause cauda equina syndrome. The authors report a case of endometriosis of the conus medullaris, the first to include radiological, intraoperative, and histopathological imaging. A brief review of the literature is also presented, with discussion including etiological theories surrounding intramedullary endometriosis.

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