Postoperative spinal recurrence of craniopharyngioma.
OBJECTIVE
Remote recurrence of craniopharyngioma is an unusual postoperative complication. It occurs either along a previous surgical route or by seeding via cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).


METHODS
A 49-year-old male had been operated on twice for a suprasellar craniopharyngioma in September 1999 and February 2003. From August 2003, he noted progressive low-back pain followed by ischialgia along the right S1 dermatome, which was symptomatic of an intradural tumor at the level of the first sacral segment.


RESULTS
Total resection was performed and the tumor was histologically confirmed to be an adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma.


CONCLUSIONS
We report the first case of remote spinal recurrence of adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma. No growth hormone therapy was administered to this patient. One must bear in mind this rare complication in craniopharyngioma patients and underline the importance of long-term follow-up.
Neurochirurgie, Clinique St Pierre Ottignies, Av. Reine Fabiola, 9, 1340 Ottignies, Belgium. ol.lermen@clinique-saint-pierre.be
Oliver
O
Lermen
Stephan
S
Frank
Werner
W
Hassler
D002828:Choristoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003397:Craniopharyngioma / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000473:pathology*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009366:Neoplasm Seeding; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D011128:Polyradiculopathy / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D012447:Sacrum / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D012585:Sciatica / Q000209:etiology; D013115:Spinal Canal / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome