[Intramedullary spinal cord metastasis: is there a place for surgery? Case report and review of literature].
OBJECTIVE
The usual onset of intramedullary spinal cord metastases at an advanced stage of cancer disease explains that surgical removal of such lesions is rarely performed. We tried to define the place for surgery in the management of such lesions.


METHODS
We report the observation of a 52-year-old male patient presenting with a metastasis of the conus medullaris revealing a lung cancer. Surgical excision of the lesion led to pain relief and improvement of bladder dysfunction. We present a review of pertinent literature.


RESULTS
Surgery allows histological diagnosis in case of isolated, revealing tumor. In other selected cases, radical removal of intramedullary metastases could improve the quality and comfort of life although it does not seem to affect the duration of survival.
Faillot
T
T
Service de Neurochirurgie, HIA du Val-de-Grâce, 74, boulevard de Port-Royal, 75005 Paris. tfaillot@noos.fr
Roujeau
T
T
Dulou
R
R
Blanc
J-L
JL
Chedru
F
F
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007679:Kidney Medulla / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D001745:Urinary Bladder Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology