Atypical presentation of a giant spinal schwannoma.

Spinal schwannomas are peripheral nerve sheath tumours that account for approximately 30% of extramedullary spinal cord tumours, found predominantly in sensory roots of the spinal nerve and occasionally in motor roots.1 Most spinal schwannomas are small, well encapsulated and intradural. However, 10–15% extend through the dural root sleeve as dumbbell tumours with both intradural and extradural components, and approximately 2–10% are entirely extradural.2 According to Seppala et al , the incidence of spinal schwannomas varies between 0.3 and 0.4 cases per 100 000 persons per year with no statistical difference …