title: Giant cauda equina schwannoma. A case report.
abstract: METHODS
  Case report.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To present a rare case of a giant schwannoma of the cauda equina.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Giant spinal schwannoma of the cauda equina, which involves many nerve roots, is rare and there is usually no ossification in the schwannoma. It is unknown whether or not complete excision is preferable if the tumor is located in the lumbar lesion.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 57-year-old woman had a 10-year history of low back pain. Scalloping of the posterior surface of the vertebral bodies from L3 to the sacrum was found. Magnetic resonance imaging disclosed a giant cauda equina tumor with multiple cysts. Central ossification revealed by computed tomography and an unusual myelogram made the preoperative diagnosis difficult.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patient underwent incomplete removal of the tumor, decompression of cysts, and spinal reconstruction. The tumor was proved to be a schwannoma. The postoperative course was uneventful and she has been almost free from low back pain for 3 years and 4 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Giant schwannoma in the lumbar spine region is usually excised incompletely, because complete removal had the risk of sacrificing many nerve roots. In spite of the incomplete removal of the tumor, the risk of recurrence is low.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Akita University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kagaya
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kimura
mesh_terms: D002420:Cauda Equina / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009442:Neurilemmoma / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D010524:Peripheral Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D011859:Radiography