"Squatting Posture" as a Sign for Thoracic Spinal Meningiomas

Abstract

Background: Meningioma of the spinal cord most often occur in middle aged women. Meningiomas of the spine arise from arachnoid cap cells that is embedded in the dura of the nerve root. Despite usually being small, due to the confines of the spinal canal they can result in significant neurologic dysfunction. The majority of patients present with motor deficits as a result of compression of the spinal cord. Less common presentations include sensory deficits, pain and sphincter dysfunction.

Materials and Methods: In our case series study between 2002 and 2012 in the university hospitals we had 20 patient with the sign of flexing hip and knees (squatting posture) in lying position.

Results: Female to male ratio was 4/1. The main presentation of them was difficulty in walking but three of them had contractures and urinary symptoms such as urgency and in one of them with incontinencies. All of them were posteriorly placed tumor and underwent operation with laminectomy, aimed at tumor that successfully extirpated. In 17 patients spasticity returned to normal with normal gait with mild weakness and in 3 of them with contracture that had not good recovery in follow-ups .Painful spasticity were not disabling, and gait was walker dependent. No one of them had recurrent tumor after two years follow-up.

Conclusion: Our recommendation is that beside common signs of spinal meningiomas we should consider the “Squatting Posture” as a sign that can lead to suspecting us to the Spinal Meningiomas.