Dorsal Cord Herniation with Diastematomyelia- A Rare Case

Abstract

Transdural spinal cord herniation is rare and under reported. Ventral or ventro-lateral cord herniation is relatively more common and a well described entity. Dorsal or posterior spinal cord herniation is very rare, only five cases in the cervical spine have been reported, as per authors' knowledge. It is nonetheless a recognised cause of myelopathy, either acquired postsurgery or post-trauma or idiopathic in cause and congenital. The authors are reporting a rare case of a 47-year-old male patient who underwent Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) spine. The MRI showed cord with diastematomyelia from C3 to C5 levels with kinking of cord at this level attached to the posterior dura. Posterior subarachnoid space at this level is completely effaced with no evidence of Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) posterior to the cord and hence, the patient was subsequently diagnosed as postoperative dorsal spinal cord herniation and myelomalacia in the cervical spine associated with diastematomyelia. Patient is being managed conservatively till date.

Keywords

• cervical spine
• dural defect
• myelomalacia
• transdural