title: Intradural extramedullary mature cystic teratoma: not only a childhood disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The authors report on the first case of a spinal intradural extramedullary cystic teratoma in an aged patient. These lesions have been reported in adolescents and young adults often with a history of spinal dysraphism. They are believed to be congenital lesions; however, they have also been reported in patients with a history of posterior spinal surgery or lumbar puncture.
  
  
  METHODS
  An 85-year-old man was evaluated for persistent and progressive lower extremity paresis. His symptoms began after relatively minor trauma. He had no prior lumbar surgeries. Neuroimaging studies revealed an L1-L2 intradural mass. A putative diagnosis of a cystic intradural extramedullary mass was made. A lumbar laminectomy and durotomy were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A cystic lesion containing hair follicles, cartilage, adipose, and neural tissue was encountered. Pathologic review corroborated the diagnosis of cystic teratoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The occurrence of cystic teratomas in the absence of previous surgery or lumbar puncture is uncommon. Even rarer are reports of these lesions in aged patients. Of particular interest in this case is the fact that this patient had not undergone any previous lumbar procedures nor did he have a history of spinal dysraphism. Though rare, this entity should be included in the differential of cystic intradural spinal cord lesions.
authors.affiliation: Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Bromenn Regional Medical Center, Normal, IL, USA. qspine@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Qualls E J
authors.initials: QE
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: Keith A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Kattner
authors.forename: Ying H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Mohammed A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rahman
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy; D008297:Male; D010291:Paresis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D013724:Teratoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome