Dural Ectasia: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 15:53, 1 March 2023

This article is a stub.

Dural ectasia is a radiological finding characterised by enlargement of the dura in the spinal cord, especially in the lower lumbosacral regions.

Pathology

The connective tissue weakness in the underlying condition is thought to lead to expansion of the dura from the pulsatile flow of the cerebrospinal fluid. The lower regions are affected because that is where subarachnoid pressure is highest. Dural ectasia can result in bony erosions and/or meningoceles and herniation of nerve root sleeves can occur.

The cardinal underlying condition is Marfan Syndrome where it is present in 60% of individuals. However it can also be seen in neurofibromatosis type 1, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Loeys-Dietz syndrome, osteogenesis imperfecta, acromegaly, and ankylosing spondylitis. It can also occur post trauma, post surgery, and from tumours.

Clinical Features

It is also associated with back pain and lumbar radicular pain and radiculopathy. The bony erosions and meningoceles can cause constipation and/or incontinence. The meningoceles can be anterior to the sacrum and be palpable as an abdominal mass. Other findings include spondylolisthesis, scoliosis, and fractures.

Literature Review

Reviews from the last 7 years: review articles, free review articles, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, NCBI Bookshelf

Articles from all years: PubMed search, Google Scholar search.

TRIP Database: clinical publications about evidence-based medicine.

Other Wikis: Radiopaedia, Wikipedia Search, Wikipedia I Feel Lucky, Orthobullets,

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 {{Stub}}
-Dural ectasia is a radiological finding characterised by enlargement of the dura in the spinal cord, especially in the lower lumbosacral regions. The connective tissue weakness in the underlying condition is thought to lead to expansion of the dura from the pulsatile flow of the cerebrospinal fluid. The lower regions are affected because that is where subarachnoid pressure is highest. Dural ectasia can result in bony erosions and/or meningoceles associated with constipation and/or incontinence. It is also associated with [[Chronic Low Back Pain|back pain]] and [[Lumbar Radicular Pain and Radiculopathy|lumbar radicular pain]].
+Dural ectasia is a radiological finding characterised by enlargement of the dura in the spinal cord, especially in the lower lumbosacral regions.
-The cardinal condition is [[Marfan Syndrome]] where it is present in 60% of individuals. However it can also be seen in neurofibromatosis, [[Ehlers Danlos Syndrome|Ehlers-Danlos syndrome]], and [[Spondyloarthritis|ankylosing spondylitis]].
+== Pathology ==
+The connective tissue weakness in the underlying condition is thought to lead to expansion of the dura from the pulsatile flow of the cerebrospinal fluid. The lower regions are affected because that is where subarachnoid pressure is highest. Dural ectasia can result in bony erosions and/or meningoceles and herniation of nerve root sleeves can occur.
+The cardinal underlying condition is [[Marfan Syndrome]] where it is present in 60% of individuals. However it can also be seen in neurofibromatosis type 1, [[Ehlers Danlos Syndrome|Ehlers-Danlos syndrome]], [[Loeys-Dietz Syndrome|Loeys-Dietz syndrome]], osteogenesis imperfecta, acromegaly, and [[Spondyloarthritis|ankylosing spondylitis]]. It can also occur post trauma, post surgery, and from tumours.
+== Clinical Features ==
+It is also associated with [[Chronic Low Back Pain|back pain]] and [[Lumbar Radicular Pain and Radiculopathy|lumbar radicular pain and radiculopathy]]. The bony erosions and meningoceles can cause constipation and/or incontinence. The meningoceles can be anterior to the sacrum and be palpable as an abdominal mass. Other findings include spondylolisthesis, scoliosis, and fractures.
+{{Reliable sources}}
 [[Category:Lumbar Spine Conditions]]