[Meningeal inflammatory diseases causing transverse lesions in childhood (arachnoiditis spinalis chronica and pachymeningitis spinalis hypertrophicans). Diagnosis and treatment (author's transl)].

The Arachnoiditis spinalis and the Pachymeningitis spinals are seldom the cause of neurologic deficit. During infancy both illnesses are extremely rare. One illness with a Arachnoiditis spinalis chronica adhaesiva cystica and, for the first time one with a Pachymeningitis spinalis hypertrophicans could be observed. The signs show parallels to spinal tumors, but when inflammation is the origin, the early starting symptoms of tumors appear relatively late. Symptoms of the radix remain dominant. Myelography shows a typical drop shaped block in the case of Arachnoiditis. Diagnosis can be asured only histologically. Surgery may prevent remaining defects of the spine by decompression and may obtain a permanent success by the removal of local processes. When expanded changes occur, an additional chemotherapy with Prednisolon, perhaps in combination with Endoxan may cure the patient, as shown in our two cases.