title: Primary filum terminale ependymoma: a series of 16 cases.
abstract: Filum terminale ependymomas are slow growing tumors of the cauda equina with a high incidence in young adults. Although a complete microsurgical resection can lead to a cure, recurrence is not uncommon. Sixteen cases of filum terminale ependymomas treated at the Instituto de Neurologia de Curitiba were analyzed. Eleven patients were females and 5 males, their age ranging from 7 to 84 years. Symptoms and signs included lumbar pain (31.25%), radicular pain (56.25%) and neurological deficits (12.5%). In three cases, patients had previously undergone surgery in other hospitals. All were tested through MRI and were operated on. Two underwent a laminoplasty and 14 a laminectomy. The last 8 patients of this series had neuro-physiological monitoring during surgery. In all patients a total microsurgical resection was achieved. Histologically, 2 cases were cellular ependymomas and 14 cases myxopapillary ependymomas. There was no recurrence during a 2 to 84 month follow-up period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Instituto de Neurologia de Curitiba, Curitiba, PR, Brazil. mmeneses@inc-neuro.com.br
authors.forename: Murilo S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Meneses
authors.forename: André Giacomelli
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.forename: Larissa B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Periotto
authors.forename: Jerônimo Buzetti
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Milano
authors.forename: Maurício
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Coelho-Net
authors.forename: Ana Cristina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Sobral
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ramina
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002420:Cauda Equina / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D004806:Ependymoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult