ArticleJournal of neurosurgery. Case lessons2026
When one becomes many: a pediatric case of extensive multilevel spinal extradural arachnoid cysts challenging diagnostic paradigms. Illustrative case.
Article in Journal of neurosurgery. Case lessons, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSpinal extradural arachnoid cysts (SEACs) are rare, typically solitary lesions. Multilevel SEACs are exceptionally uncommon. This report highlights a pediatric case of extensive thoracic SEACs, emphasizing their potential for rapid neurological decline and the importance of early recognition in atypical spinal cord compression. OBSERVATIONS: A 13-year-old female presented with progressive myelopathy due to multilevel SEACs (C7-L2), challenging the notion of SEACs as usually solitary. Imaging revealed severe cord compression (flattened to < 2 mm at T4-7). Surgical intervention (laminotomy, cyst excision, dural repair) led to significant recovery. Histopathological analysis confirmed the diagnosis, demonstrating hypocellular fibrous cyst walls without neoplastic or inflammatory features, supporting a developmental origin and differentiating SEACs from mimics. This case expands the understanding of SEACs as potentially extensive, high-risk lesions in children. LESSONS: This case underscores the need to consider SEACs in pediatric progressive myelopathy, even with atypical symptoms. Histopathological confirmation is critical to exclude mimics and guide management. Rapidly progressive decline necessitates timely surgery when cord compression is evident. Successful surgical outcomes set a precedent for complex SEACs. The rarity of multilevel SEACs raises questions about underlying connective tissue or genetic predispositions. This report advances the literature on multifocal SEACs and refines diagnostic and management approaches. https://thejns.org/doi/10.3171/CASE25312.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.