Congenital intraspinal lipomas: clinical presentation and response to treatment.

A retrospective review of 29 patients with surgically treated intraspinal lipomas was conducted in a determination of their manner of presentation and response to treatment. The average age at the time of diagnosis for the entire group was 12.8 years. Only five patients were neurologically normal by clinical examination at the time of diagnosis, and these five patients were all less than 6 months old. Orthopedic intervention was judged successful in each of the 11 foot-procedures done after surgery on the lipoma, but in only two of the five foot procedures done before such surgery. We conclude that consideration of intraspinal lipoma is worthwhile in several circumstances, including pediatric foot deformities.