[Ablation by the anterior transcorporeal approach of an ante-spinal cord cervical meningioma. Apropos of a case].

The authors report a case of an intradural spinal meningioma ventrally located just rear to the 5th cervical body. The patient (a 46-year-old woman) suffered from a spasmodic quadriplegia, walking was nearly impossible. Because of the strictly median and ventral localization the authors have chosen an anterior approach passing through the body of C5 after discectomy of C4-C5 and C5-C6 discs. The tumor and its dural attachment was totally removed with respect to the spinal cord and all rootlets. Reconstruction of cervical spine was performed with an iliac bone graft. The neurological recuperation was complete and quickly achieved. Bone fusion was obtained within 3 months with a good result. The authors emphasize the rarity of ventrally located meningiomas in the cervical spine and the advantages of anterior route which alone enables a total surgical removal of such lesions.