Tail-like cutaneous appendage at the upper thoracic region with a continuous stalk of limited dorsal myeloschisis

Abstract

Limited dorsal myeloschisis (LDM) is characterized by a fibroneural stalk linking the skin lesion to the underlying spinal cord. LDMs originally have either saccular or nonsaccular (flat) skin lesion; we recently demonstrated the human tail-like cutaneous appendage at the lumbosacral region, which is a morphological variation. We surgically treated a 6-month-old girl with a cutaneous appendage at the upper thoracic region; the appendage was a continuation of the LDM stalk. Surgery involving cord untethering and cosmetic removal of the appendage was performed. Histopathologically, small nests of glial fibrillary acidic protein-immunopositive neuroglial tissues were observed in the appendage and in the intradural LDM stalk. Clinicians should be aware of further morphological variations of thoracic lesions associated with LDM.

Keywords

• Glial fibrillary acidic protein
• Fibroneural stalk
• Untethering