Histologically proven venous congestive myelopathy without concurrent vascular malformation: Case reports and review of the literature

BACKGROUND: Venous congestive myelopathy is a progressive myelopathy that is generally caused by a spinal dural arteriovenous fistula. CASE DESCRIPTION: We report a patient with histologically confirmed venous congestive myelopathy without concurrent vascular malformations in radiological and intraoperative findings. CONCLUSIONS: The definitive underlying etiology of this congestive myelopathy was unclear. However, this case report highlights the possibility of venous congestive myelopathy with etiology other than a dural arteriovenous fistula. Further, a systematic and elaborate examination should be undertaken to explore the underlying pathology whenever this type of spinal parenchymal lesion is detected.