Myxopapillary ependymoma of the filum terminale in a pubescent patient: a case report

Abstract

Myxopapillary ependymoma is a slow-growing benign neoplasm that accounts for 13 % of all spinal ependymomas. Clinically, it often presents with long developing radicular syndromes and motor, sensory, urinary, and gait abnormalities. This report describes the case of a 14-year-old female who experienced a six-month history of lumbosacral pain, which radiated to the lower limbs during the last month. She was admitted to the emergency department at Hospital Belén de Trujillo, Peru, with crural paraparesis, motor function graded as 3/5 on the Daniels Scale, and urinary retention. Magnetic resonance imaging with contrast revealed a lumbar lesion consistent with ependymoma. Consequently, a laminectomy and total resection of the lesion were performed to prevent local recurrence and cerebrospinal fluid dissemination. At the most recent postoperative follow-up, the patient demonstrated good functional recovery. In this case, complete en bloc resection of the tumor was achieved. The hope is that this clinical experience can be replicated in other pediatric cases of myxopapillary ependymoma to improve patient quality of life.