title: Thoracolumbopelvic stabilization for the treatment of instability caused by recurrent myxopapillary ependymoma.
abstract: The authors report a patient with recurrent lumbosacral myxopapillary ependymoma, followed for more than 20 years, who presented with severe axial pain resulting from osteolytic destruction at the lumbosacral junction. Because the patient had a long history of paraplegia despite three previous incomplete tumor resections, we chose not to attempt a fourth resection. Moreover, because viable fixation points were not present within the sacrum and most of the lumbar spine, instrumented fusion was extended from T7 to the ilia using a modified Galveston L-rod technique, which we believe to be unique in its application to this problem. This case demonstrates the long-term potential for instability from locally destructive myxopapillary ependymoma that is incompletely excised. We are not aware of any previous reports of lumbopelvic instability in association with myxopapillary ependymomas.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurosurgery, Royal University Hospital, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
authors.forename: Daryl R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Fourney
authors.forename: Sujit S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Prabhu
authors.forename: Zvi R
authors.initials: ZR
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Laurence D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Rhines
authors.forename: Ziya L
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Gokaslan
mesh_terms: D004806:Ependymoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007085:Ilium / Q000601:surgery; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D008161:Lumbosacral Region / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000150:complications*; D010388:Pelvis / Q000601:surgery; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000379:methods*; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery