title: Polyneuretic paraparesis revealing an intramedullary ependymoma.
abstract: Spinal tumors are rare; intramedullary tumors are uncommon among these lesions, and occur in only 10% of cases in adults. Ependymoma is the most frequent histological type (40-60%). We report the case of a 22-year-old girl, presenting with local back pain, ascendant paresthesia, a progressive flask paraparesis, and a vesical globe. The clinical examination concluded in a mild motor weakness with areflexia of both patellar and Achilles tendons. The diagnosis of intramedullary tumor was made on MRI. The radiological and the macroscopic aspects evoked an ependymoma; the diagnosis was histologically confirmed after surgery (myxopapillary ependymoma) with a favorable evolution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Sahloul Hospital, 4054 Sahloul City, Sousse, Tunisia. Tel. +216 (98) 676 125. Fax. +216 (73) 367 451. E-mail: lamia_benslamia@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Lamia M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Ben Slamia
authors.forename: Haifa M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Ben Jemaa
authors.forename: Hichem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ben Salma
authors.forename: Sofien A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Benammou