Treatment of rheumatoid pachymeningitis involving the entire thoracic region.

A 67-year-old woman developed a spinal cord compression syndrome due to rheumatoid pachymeningitis with a roentgenological block from T2 to T11. The dura was surgically split from T1 to T12 and carefully dissected away from the spinal cord and then left open without grafting. The patient imporved and 3 years after the operation the spinal subarachnoid space and the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid were normal.