Dural ectasia and back pain: review of the literature and case report

Dural ectasia is defined as a ballooning of the dural sac which is more common in patients with connective tissue disorders such as the Marfan syndrome. Several studies have shown that dural ectasia may be associated with such conditions as back pain, headaches, radiculopathies, or incontinence. We present a case of a 52 year old woman with Marfan syndrome who presented with a significantly large anterior sacral meningocele without having associated symptoms. In light of this case, we recommend that asymptomatic Marfan patients with dural ectasia should be closely observed without need for immediate surgical intervention.