Abstract:

Background: Posterior epidural migration of a lumbar disc herniation is a rare clinical presentation; it consists of the migration of disc material around the thecal sac compressing it. The clinical presentation can vary from simple radiculopathy to cauda equina syndrome.

Case report: That's what we report in this case of a 47 year old male with a long history of chronic lower back pain (+6 months) who was admitted for the management of numbness in his lower limbs with saddle hypoesthesia and sphincter disorder. The lumbar MRI revealed a lumbar intracanal mass lesion in the posterior epidural space at the level L2-L3 compressing the thecal sac. Surgical resection was performed right after and the pathological study revealed an intervertebral disc fragment.

Conclusion: Lumbar disc herniations rarely migrate in the posterior epidural space, which can lead to severe neurological and functional problems and should be considered as a differential diagnosis in epidural lesions.

Keywords:

Posterior epidural migration, neurological, Lumbar disc, Magnetic resonance imaging, Cauda equina syndrome

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Methods