title: Spinal epidural lipomatosis: two new idiopathic cases and a review of the literature.
abstract: Thoracic spinal epidural lipomatosis, a rare cause of myelopathy, is most commonly associated with exogenous corticosteroid use. The authors present the clinical, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, and surgical findings for two patients with idiopathic epidural lipomatosis, successfully treated with decompressive laminectomy accompanied by fatty debulking, followed for > 3 postoperative years. They review the literature on idiopathic spinal epidural lipomatosis as well as cases associated with exogenous steroid use.
authors.affiliation: Section of Neurosurgery, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Stern
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Quint
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Sweasey
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Hoff
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004824:Epidural Space; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy; D008068:Lipomatosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery