Multiple intracranial and spinal cord syphilitic gummas in a human immunodeficiency virus-negative man with untreated syphilis: A case report

RATIONALE: Multiple syphilitic gummas involving both the brain and spinal cord are quite rare. Central nervous system (CNS) syphilitic gummas are commonly misdiagnosed as CNS tumors, and clinical suspicion and diagnosis of a syphilitic gumma by physicians are vital to avoiding unnecessary surgeries. Our case emphasizes the importance of routine serologic syphilis tests and standard therapy with penicillin in patients with a CNS mass. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 22-year-old previously healthy man presented with a 9-day history of progressive right lower limb weakness. DIAGNOSIS: The diagnosis of gummatous neurosyphilis was based on positive serological, cerebrospinal fluid tests for syphilis and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, which revealed the presence of multiple dural-based enhancing masses with marked edema. INTERVENTIONS: Therapy consisting of intravenous penicillin G at 24 million units daily divided into 6 doses were given for a total of 21 days, along with 3 weekly intramuscular injections of benzathine penicillin G (2.4 million units) to ensure that the syphilitic lesions in the CNS were adequately treated. OUTCOMES: Complete resolution of the lesions was observed on MRI over a 3-month period. LESSONS: The importance of routine serologic syphilis tests and standard therapy with penicillin in patients with central CNS mass lesions is noted to avoiding unnecessary surgeries.