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Case Reports
. 2021 Jul 12;14(7):e239730.
doi: 10.1136/bcr-2020-239730.

Repeated aspiration and sclerotherapy to manage recurrent spinal epidermoid cyst

Zafar Neyaz  1 , Surya Nandan Prasad  1 , Vivek Singh  2 , Rajendra Vishnu Phadke  3
Affiliations
Case Reports

Repeated aspiration and sclerotherapy to manage recurrent spinal epidermoid cyst

Zafar Neyaz et al. BMJ Case Rep. .

Abstract

Spinal epidermoid cysts are rare lesions and epidermoid cyst in intramedullary location is even rarer. Surgical excision is the mainstay of treatment; however, in cases of recurrence, repeat surgery becomes quite difficult. Treatment of recurrent intramedullary epidermoid cyst by surgery alone is a challenge. We managed one such rare case with repeated aspiration and sclerotherapy. Here, we have highlighted hypertonic saline sclerotherapy as a promising tool to treat recurrent spinal epidermoid cysts.

Keywords: interventional radiology; neuroanaesthesia; neuroimaging; spinal cord.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Postoperative MRI of the LS spine T2 weighted images (T2WI) in sagittal plane (A, C) and T1WI (B) showing a cystic lesion (arrow) attached to the conus and adherent to cauda equina nerve roots. T2WI in axial plane (D, E) showing cystic lesion with heterogenous content within.
Figure 2
Figure 2
NCCT axial images showing Chiba needle within the epidermoid cyst (A), injected non-ionic contrast (blue arrows) delineating the cyst wall (B, C). Cyst content aspiration being performed in decubitus position with tip of needle within the cyst (C) and post aspiration image showing air (white arrow) within the cyst cavity (D). NCCT, noncontrast CT.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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