Elizabeth C Mroczek-Musulman

PubMed2005

Occult spinal dysraphism and Pacinian hamartomas.

CASES: The authors report two patients with occult spinal dysraphism who, following histological analysis, were found to harbor associated Pacinian hamartomas. One patient's hamartoma was found in conjunction with their lipomyelomeningocele and the other was combined with a presacral myxopapillary ependymoma associated with a fatty filum terminale. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: We review the literature and believe this to be only the third report of Pacinian hamartomas in association with occult spinal dysraphism. Although Pacinian hamartomas are seemingly rare in conjunction with occult spinal dysraphism, mesodermal elements are often found in this disease entity.

Hamartoma↗

PubMed2005

Spinal cord compression as a result of Rosai-Dorfman disease of the upper cervical spine in a child.

BACKGROUND: Rosai-Dorfman disease is characterized by massive painless cervical lymphadenopathy, but can also include nasal obstruction, tonsillar enlargement, or hearing abnormalities. The disease occurs most often in the third and fourth decades. Most authors have suggested that it represents either an autoimmune disease or a reaction to an infectious agent that has yet to be discovered. Less than 50 cases of central nervous system involvement have been reported. CASE ILLUSTRATION: We report a child with cervical spinal cord compression due to Rosai-Dorfman disease of the cervical spine. PROGNOSIS: This disease has variable outcomes from relatively benign to insidious over decades. Our case is unusual in that the patient was a child and had involvement of the spine with resultant cord compression, a combination that has been reported rarely.

Adolescent↗