Idiopathic spinal cord herniation

Abstract

Spinal cord herniation is a rare condition that has become increasingly recognised in the last few years. The authors report a case of idiopathic spinal cord herniation in a 33 year old woman who presented with progressive Brown-Sequard syndrome. The diagnosis was made on MR imaging. After repairing the herniation the patient made a gradual improvement. Potential causes are discussed, including the possible role of dural tethering. In conclusion, idiopathic spinal cord herniation is a potentially treat able condition that should be more readily diagnosed with increased awareness and newer imaging techniques such as high resolution MRI.