Dural ectasia

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Dural ectasia is a widening or ballooning of the dural sac surrounding the spinal cord usually at the lumbosacral level. It is one of the major manifestations of Marfan syndrome. It may cause low back pain, headaches and neurologic deficits such as weakness and loss of bowel and bladder function, but in many patients it is asymptomatic.

A high incidence of dural ectasia also results in the cauda equina syndrome in ankylosing spondylitis.