[Spinal angiolipoma: case report].

Abstract

Spinal extradural angiolipomas are rare benign tumours, accounting for only 0.14-1.2% of all spinal neoplasms. They are usually localized within the thoracic extradural space of the spinal canal and their common clinical presentation is myelopathy, mainly in the way of a slowly progressive paraparesis and sometimes in an acute form. We report the case of a 85 year old man who complained of bilateral lower limb weakness with sphincter disturbance of acute instauration. The MRI showed a posterior extradural lesion at L1-L2 level that compressed conus medularis and cauda equina. He underwent urgent surgical treatment and we achieved total resection of the lesion via a L1-L2 laminectomy. The pathological examination confirmed the tumour as an angiolipoma.