Spinal Cord Infarction following Spine Surgery in the Patient with Vertebral Bursting Fracture : A case report.
10.4097/kjae.2007.52.4.471
- Author:
Sang Jin PARK
1
;
Hyun Chul JUNG
;
Dae Lim JEE
Author Information
1. Dalseong-gun Public Health Center, Korea.
- Publication Type:Case Report
- Keywords:
spinal cord infarction;
spine surgery
- MeSH:
Aged;
Blood Pressure;
Decompression;
Female;
Humans;
Infarction*;
Lower Extremity;
Physical Examination;
Recovery Room;
Sensation;
Spinal Cord*;
Spine*
- From:Korean Journal of Anesthesiology
2007;52(4):471-474
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
Spinal cord infarction as a complication of spine surgery occurs rarely. Herein, a case of spinal cord infarction, which developed in a 69 year old woman following posterior decompression and internal fixation for a T11 bursting fracture, is descirbed. The anesthetic induction and intraoperative course were uneventful, except at the end of the procedure, where her blood pressure suddenly dropped from 130/90 to 90/60 mmHg. The patient was aggressively treated with a transfusion and vasopressor, the blood pressure then returned to its usual value within 10 minutes. However, during a physical examination in the recovery room, the patient was found to have flaccid lower limbs, with impaired sensory function below the T8 level. Her cord diameter had increased, and a high signal lesion was observed within the thoracic spinal cord, from T9 to T12 level on T2-weighted MR images, which was diagnosing as a spinal cord infarction, was and showed no improvement despite the immediate and aggressive treatment.
