Thoracic Myelopathy Secondary to Intradural Extramedullary Bronchogenic Cyst

Abstract

Background/Objective: To report a case of thoracic myelopathy secondary to intradural extramedullary bronchogenic cyst.

Study Design: Case report.

Methods/Findings: A 20-year-old man presented to the emergency department with increasing back pain and lower-extremity weakness. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a cystic lesion at the T4 level with mass effect on the spinal cord.

Results: The lesion was resected, and histopathologic evaluation showed a cyst lined by respiratory-type epithelium consistent with a bronchogenic cyst.

Conclusions: Intradural extramedullary bronchogenic cysts of the thoracic spine have been reported previously but are extremely rare. The treatment of choice is surgical resection.