lipomyelomeningocele

Epidemiology

• rare

Pathology

• neurological deterioration secondary to an inherent tethered spinal cord
• a subcutaneous lipoma in the lumbar or sacral region extends through a defect in the lumbodorsal fascia, vertebral neural arch, & dura, attaching to an elongated & tethered spinal cord

Clinical manifestations

• the most common presenting symptom is a lamboscaral lipoma
• other skin lesions are often present
  • hairy nevus
  • skin dimples
  • cutaneous hemangiomas
• subcutanous lumbosacral lipoma present at birth
• 1/2 of patients are neurologically intact

Radiology

• in utero fetal ultrasound
• magnetic resonance imaging is useful in demonstrating a fatty mass & cord tethering

Management

• neurosurgery

More general terms

• neural tube defect
• lipoma; adipocyte neoplasm