Spinal intradural extramedullary capillary hemangioma with coexistent spinal edema and syringomyelia successfully treated by tumor removal and cervical laminoplasty

Abstract

Capillary hemangioma (CH) is usually found in pediatric patients and is located in soft tissue of the neck or head. As uncommon location of CH, spinal intradural extramedullary space has been reported; however, coexistent spinal edema or syringomyelia with spinal intradural extramedullary CH seems rare manifestations on preoperative magnetic resonance imaging. Laminectomy and tumor resection have been often performed for spinal intradural extramedullary CH. An 83-year-old man was referred to our hospital, complaining of nocturia and motor weakness of the lower extremities. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a mass at the level of T1, which was homogeneously enhanced on gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted images. The lesion was accompanied by spinal edema and syringomyelia. An intradural extramedullary tumor was first considered. We thought that the coexistent spinal edema and syringomyelia could have been caused by spinal stenosis. Preoperative angiography revealed that the mass was fed by the radicular artery of C5–C6. To improve the clinical symptoms of the patient, tumor removal and cervical laminoplasty were performed. The spinal edema and syringomyelia regressed postoperatively. The histopathological diagnosis was CH. This is the first reported case of cervical intradural extramedullary CH with spinal edema and syringomyelia successfully treated by cervical laminoplasty and tumor removal.