Giant ependymoma of the spinal cord associated with papilledema. Review of literature and report of a case.

Papilledema is not always indicative of a cerebral or an intracranial lesion. In rare instances, disease of the spine 1 or tumor of the spinal cord may produce choked discs. In a review of the literature, 12 cases have been recorded, 1-9 including 1 from this institution. The rarity of such a condition warrants this report, with a brief analysis of the recorded cases. Report of Case A 32-year-old man was admitted to the Kaiser Foundation Hospital on May 29, 1959, because of frequent episodes of blurred vision, vertigo, and headache for two weeks. During these two weeks he vomited four to six times. For three years he had had pain in the lower back, at times radiating down both lower extremities. At another clinic, he was told that he had a herniated lumbar intervertebral disk. One week before admission, he noted black spots before both eyes. There was