Spinal cord compression by extradural fat after prolonged corticosteroid therapy

Abstract

✓ This young man was operated on twice for thoracic spinal cord compression. He had been on corticosteroid therapy for the last 2 years subsequent to a renal transplant. The only anomaly discovered during the operation was a large quantity of extradural fat that did not present the characteristics of lipoma. The remarkable postoperative clinical improvement suggested that the fat deposit was responsible for the spinal cord compression.