Intramedullary hemangioblastoma of the thoracic cord with a microsurgical approach: A case report and literature review

Abstract

Background: Spinal cord hemangioblastomas (HBs) account for 2–15% of all spinal cord neoplasms. They are the third most common primary intramedullary tumor (1–5%). Here, 72-year-old female presented with a thoracic intramedullary spinal HB that responded well to surgery. Case Description: A 72-year-old female presented with a 3–4 years of progressive paresthesias and paraparesis. On examination, she exhibited diffuse distal weakness of the lower extremities. The magnetic resonance scan showed an intramedullary expansive lesion at the T1–T2 level that markedly enhanced with contrast with both proximal and distal hydromyelia. Surgery included a C7 partial and T1–T2 total laminectomies performed under microscope visualization with intraoperative monitoring. At surgery, there was a well-documented cleavage plane between the tumor and the cord; excision was facilitated using the cavitron ultrasonic surgical aspirator device. Conclusion: Surgery is the gold standard treatment for treating/resecting HBs and should include utilization of an operating microscope and intraoperative monitoring.