Neural amyloidosis with the presentation of a lumbar disc herniation

Abstract

Amyloidosis is defined as a group of diseases characterized by extracellular deposits of fibrillar tissue, which can be primary or secondary, localized or systemic. The amount of damaged tissue determines the patient’s symptoms and signs, which can also include those characteristic of the underlying disease in cases of secondary amyloidosis. There are several forms of presentation of this disease. Kidney, heart, liver or peripheral nerve lesions are predominant. However, unusual forms, diagnosed in biopsies of tissue from local exeresis of tumors, are described. The case of a patient who was diagnosed a lumbar disc herniation by magnetic resonance imaging is reported.  During surgery, an intraradicular tumor was found, which was identified as an amyloid lesion in the pathology study. This paper discusses the characteristics of the case and conducts a review of the literature. It stresses again the importance of suspicion of the disease in any patient with underlying illnesses that can potentially cause amyloidosis, as well as the presence of proteinuria or auto-inflammatory syndromes, being the pathology study of vital importance for the diagnosis.