Neuroblastoma and lumbar hernia: a causal relationship?

Lumbar hernia is a rare occurrence in infants and children. Congenital variants have been described, frequently associated with musculofascial and skeletal abnormalities, specifically "lumbocostovertebral syndrome" (LCV) and/or meningomyelocele. In LCV syndrome, lumbar herniation results from a single somatic defect occurring during the third to fifth week of embryonal development. Meningomyelocele may predispose to lumbar herniation secondary to abnormalities in muscular innervation related to nerve entrapment in the spinal dysraphism. Acquired lumbar hernia generally can be attributed to surgery, infection, or trauma. Localized neuropraxis, temporary or permanent, may be the underlying factor common to all these defects. The author presents two pediatric cases of lumbar hernia associated with intrathoracic neuroblastoma. The first patient, a 15 month old, had a lumbar hernia after excision of a thoracic ganglioneuroblastoma. This resolved within 1 year, without specific therapy. The second patient, a 4 month old with a lumbar hernia and a large intrathoracic neuroblastoma, had "resolution" of the hernia within 4 months of excision of the paravertebral tumor. In these cases it appears that the lumbar hernia resulted from neuropraxis secondary to intrathoracic paravertebral tumor and its management. In both cases, this deficiency was temporary and resolved without specific therapy. The association of lumbar hernia and intrathoracic neuroblastoma has not been reported previously. These cases suggest the advisability of a screening chest x-ray in children presenting with this diagnosis. Similarly, the cases suggest a role for conservative treatment for the hernia itself, when the neural impairment resulting in the defect is of a temporary nature.