'Intramedullary cervical spinal cord ganglioglioma, review of the literature and therapeutic controversies'.

STUDY

DESIGN

Case report with comprehensive review of literature.

SETTINGS: Department of Neurosurgery, Shohada Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Daneshgah Street, Tabriz, East Azerbayjan, Iran.

REPORT: A 22-year-old female presented with neck pain, which was worse at night and recumbency, and intermittent paresthesia in upper limbs. MRI revealed an intramedullary cervical tumour with a syrinx within the upper cervical cord and medulla. Total resection of tumour with laminoplasty and duraplasty was done. Pathology confirmed ganglioglioma of the spinal cord. A year after surgery, the patient has no complaint. Physical exam reveals no abnormality. MRI with contrast reveals no recurrence.

CONCLUSION

No general consensus exists on the management of intramedullary spinal ganglioglioma. MRI might be non-specific; however, some may be characteristic to differentiate it from other intramedullary tumours. The tumour responds optimally to resection, and every attempt should be made to perform a total surgical resection. The role of adjuvant therapy remains controversial.