Turkish Neurosurgery 2008 , Vol 18 , Num 2
The Redundant Nerve Root Syndrome of the Cauda Equina
Tayfun HAKAN1, Erhan ÇELİKOĞLU2, Aydın AYDOSELİ3, Kemal DEMİR4
1,3Haydarpaşa Numune Teaching and Research Hospital, Neurosurgery Department, İstanbul, Turkey
2Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Kartal Teaching and Research Hospital, Neurosurgery Department, İstanbul, Turkey
4Trakya University, School of Medicine, Neurosurgery Department, Edirne, Turkey
The redundant nerve root syndrome is defined as the association of high-grade extradural lumbar spinal stenosis with large, elongated and tortuous nerve roots. Acquired elongation of nerve roots due to the mechanical trapping at the level of lumbar spinal stenosis is assumed to be the possible mechanism. It is believed that the cause is a squeezing force due to the chronic compression. The most common clinical symptoms are low back pain and leg pain. Although lumbar spinal canal stenosis is common, the entity has rarely been discussed in the literature. Here we present the MR imaging and intraoperative appearance of the condition with a brief discussion in a 71-year-old woman. Keywords : Redundant nerve, Lumbar spinal stenosis, Cauda equina, Magnetic resonance imaging
Corresponding author : Tayfun Hakan, tayfunhakan@yahoo.com