INTRAMEDULLARY EPENDYMAL CYST OF THE CERVICAL SPINAL CORD

Relevance: Intramedullary ependymal cyst is rarely seen pathology. At present there is insufficient information about the intramedullary ependymal cysts (23 cases reported in the literature) in the modern specialized literature. Ependymal cysts are considered to develop due to central nervous system ontogeny defect that occurs in the early stages of fetal development. The neurological symptoms are varied and depend on their localization Surgical treatment of such intramedullary mass lesions is associated with high risk of neurological complications. Material and methods: The article presents a clinical case of successful surgical treatment of a patient with intramedullary ependymal cyst at the cervical spinal cord with the neurophysiological intraoperative monitoring. Results: The use of the microscopic magnification, fine microsurgical instruments, neurophysiological intraoperative monitoring allows safe removal of intramedullary mass lesion without postoperative neurologic deficit. Conclusion: Intramedullary ependymal cyst is a rare and poorly studied entity. The neurological picture of the cysts varies and depends on the location (anterior, posterior or collateral sides of spinal cord). Surgical removal is dangerous due to the high risk of neurological deficit, but is possible in selected cases. Histological examination is usually inconclusive due to the functional significance of spinal cord tissue and the inability to obtain adequate amounts of material for analysis. The results of obtained specimens do not always allow to establish organ affiliation of the tissue.