Mature intramedullary cystic teratoma in an adult female: a case report and literature review

Background: To describe a rare case of mature intramedullary cystic teratoma. Case presentation: A 51-year-old female with a 10-year history of progressive low back pain presented with a 9 × 15 mm circular tumor adjacent to L1 on preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The lesion was successfully removed by T12–L2 laminectomy and nail–rod fixation, and the diagnosis was subsequently confirmed by histopathological examination. At 6-month follow-up, right lower limb numbness and pain were reduced. Conclusions: : Mature intramedullary cystic teratoma size, morphology, and location relative to peripheral nerves can be revealed by MRI for preoperative planning. Surgical resection with nail–rod fixation is the best treatment for multilevel lesions.