Epidural lipomatosis with lumbar radiculopathy in one obese patient. Case report and review of the literature.

Idiopathic epidural spinal lipomas are rare: only 13 cases have been described in the literature. We report a further case in an obese patient without known etiological factors. Diagnosis of epidural lipomatosis was performed by MRI. Weight reduction was obtained by conservative treatment, reserving surgery in case symptoms did not disappear. Of the 8 obese patients with idiopathic epidural spinal lipomatosis described in the literature, 3 were treated conservatively, with complete regression of symptoms in 2 cases, partial in the other one. In our patient, the radicular symptomatology disappeared once he had lost weight.