Spinal epidural lipomatosis caused by corticosteroid treatment in ulcerative colitis

Abstract

Spinal epidural lipomatosis is the result of deposition of unencapsulated fat in the extradural space of the spinal canal. Most commonly, this rare condition is a complication secondary to corticosteroid treatment. We describe a 49-year-old patient with ulcerative colitis who developed paraparesis due to overgrowth of epidural fat tissue. This is the second patient with ulcerative colitis described in the literature who developed symptomatic epidural lipomatosis secondary to corticosteroid treatment. All internists tending patients with chronic diseases that require corticosteroid treatment should be aware of this rare clinical entity.