Spinal angiolipoma in a pregnant woman presenting with acute epidural hemorrhage

Abstract

A 26-year-old woman in week 31 of pregnancy presented to the emergency room with acute onset of paraplegia. Her medical history was unremarkable. Neurological examination revealed complete paraplegia, total sensory loss below the T7 dermatome, and significant vesicorectal dysfunction. MRI revealed an intraspinal mass from T3 to T4, which was hyperintense on both T1-weighted and T2-weighted images. Blood examination found no abnormality. She underwent emergent hemilaminectomy and removal of the hematoma. Intraoperatively, unusually ectatic venous vessels were found adhered to the lower surface of the epidural clot. No concurrent vascular malformations were identified and the dura mater was intact. The histological diagnosis was angiolipoma. Postoperatively her neurological deficits showed remarkable improvement, and she gave birth to a healthy baby. Spinal angiolipoma in a pregnant woman may be complicated with acute epidural hemorrhage. Emergent surgical evacuation can be performed safely with a good functional prognosis.