title: Intramedullary subependymoma of the thoracic spinal cord.
abstract: We report a rare case of a thoracic intramedullary subependymoma in a 37-year-old woman. The patient developed a monoparesis of the right leg after a subtotal resection of the tumor. During the 30 months of follow-up the neurological deficit improved and the patient remained symptom free without progression of the remnant tumor. A complete resection of the tumor is usually curative with improved function. However, aggressive surgery may cause either worsening of an existing deficit or the development of new deficits. In patients with poor delineation between the tumor and the spinal cord, subtotal removal and close follow-up should be considered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Chonnam National University Hospital, 8 Hak-dong, Dong-ku, Gwangju 501-757, Korea.
authors.forename: Woo-Youl
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Jung-Kil
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jae-Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jae-Hyoo
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Soo-Han
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kyung-Hwa
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Min-Cheol
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D018315:Glioma, Subependymal / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000209:etiology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D010291:Paresis / Q000209:etiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011878:Radiotherapy; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae; D016896:Treatment Outcome