Intramedullary mature teratoma of spinal cord: A rare tumor with review of literature

Abstract

Background: Spinal teratomas are rare in adults. The clinical findings are nonspecific, reflecting only in the intramedullary location of these lesions. The potential differential diagnosis for intramedullary spinal teratomas include schwannomas, dermoids, epidermoids, and neurofibromas. Case Description: A 25-year-old male presented with RLE weakness (iliopsoas/quadriceps [4/5], and extensor hallucis longus/dorsiflexor [0/5]) and urinary incontinence. As the contrast, MR showed a heterogeneous intramedullary lesion with well-defined edges located at the T12-L1 level, the patient underwent a focal laminectomy for gross total tumor excision. Pathologically, it proved to be a mature teratoma. Conclusion: Teratomas should be considered among the differential diagnostic considerations for intramedullary spinal cord lesions. Although gross total resection is preferred, these lesions have a low recurrence rate, and therefore, partial removal is also valid, where lesions are densely adherent to adjacent neural structures.