Herniation of the spinal cord - Case report and review of the literature

Spinal cord herniation, or displacement of the spinal cord outside the dura, is so rare that only 40 cases have been reported in the literature. The authors report a case of spontaneous herniation of the spinal cord in a 32-year-old man who presented with right lower limb paresis and Brown-Sequard syndrome, with a T9 sensory level. Displacement of the spinal cord was noted on myelography and on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The herniated cord was confirmed at operation and reduced intradurally. After surgery, the patient showed complete neurologic recovery. In conclusion, idiopathic spinal cord herniation is a potentially treatable condition that should be more readily diagnosed with increasing awareness and newer imaging techniques such as MRI. This diagnosis should also be considered in the differential diagnosis of myelopathy in the absence of a mass lesion.