Noncommunicating thoracolumbar intradural extramedullary arachnoid cyst in an 8-year-old boy: intact removal by spontaneous delivery.

Noncommunicating spinal intradural extramedullary arachnoid cysts are an extremely rare cause of spinal cord compression. An 8-year-old boy presented with progressive paraparesis. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a posterior intradural extramedullary arachnoid cyst extending from T(11) to L(3) vertebral bodies. The multilevel noncommunicating cyst was totally removed by simple delivery without rupture through a single-level laminoplasty. To our knowledge, no such case has been reported in the literature. Copyright 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.