Cauda equina paragangliomas are rare neuroendocrine benign and slow-growing tumors.
Acute paraplegia, occurring because of sudden intratumoral hemorrhage, represents
an extremely rare clinical picture of this disease. We report the case of a 64-year-old
male presenting with a 5-day acute lower back pain, sciatica, and leg weakness. Spinal
imaging showed an intradural mass of the cauda equina region and an emergent surgical
treatment was achieved. The lesion was removed “en bloc,” and subarachnoid blood was
noticed during surgery. The postoperative course was uneventful, with complete regression
of pain and progressive motor recovery. The histological study revealed typical microscopic
and immunohistochemical features of paragangliomas.
Key-words:
Acute - cauda equina - paraganglioma - paraplegia