title: [Occult sacral meningocele--a diagnostic challenge].
abstract: Occult sacral meningoceles are a rare causative factor for neural claudication or radiculopathy. Facet joint cysts in the lumbar spine causing similar symptoms are much more frequent. We report the case of a patient with the radiological diagnosis of a facet joint cyst causing neural claudication. During surgery an occult sacral meningocele was diagnosed. In the literature there are only few cases reported. Hence, the findings and important differential diagnoses of cystic epidural lesions in the lumbar spine are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Neurochirurgie, Ruhr-Universität Bochum. ioannis.pechlivanis@ruhr-uni-bochum.de
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pechlivanis
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scholz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Harders
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schmieder
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy; D017843:Ligamentum Flavum / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008588:Meningocele / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D009192:Myelography; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D012447:Sacrum / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed