Sixteen patients with lipomyelomeningoceles were operated by microsurgery technics from 1980 to 1991. Patients with lipomyelomeningoceles inappropriatedly treated or not submitted to treatment will develop significant neurological sequelae. In the authors' opinion, proper management of the patient with spinal lipoma requires early prophylactic resection of the lipoma and untethering of the spinal cord.
intramedullary lipoma; lipomyelomeningocele; tethered cord; spinal dys-raphism