Aortic dissection-induced acute flaccid paraplegia treated with cerebrospinal fluid drainage

Authors

  • Eduardo Leal Adam Divisão de Clínica Médica do Hospital Universitário da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo/SP. Brasil
  • Henrique Lane Staniak Divisão de Clínica Médica do Hospital Universitário
  • Rodolfo Sharovsky Serviço de Imagenologia do Hospital Universitário da USP
  • Adriano Ferreira da Silva Serviço de Imagenologia do Hospital Universitário da USP
  • Cláudio Campi de Castro Serviço de Imagenologia do Hospital Universitário da USP
  • Márcio Sommer Bittencourt Divisão de Clínica Médica do Hospital Universitário da USP

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4322/acr.%25y.26083

Keywords:

Aortic diseases, Aneurysm, dissecting, Paraplegia, Cerebrospinal fluid.

Abstract

Acute aortic dissection is a life-threatening event in which prompt and correct
diagnosis is associated with better outcomes. In most cases, there is chest
or back pain. However, in rare cases, patients have little or no pain and
other symptoms are more conspicuous at presentation. The autors reports
the case of a 47-year-old female patient who sought medical attention for
sudden-onset paraplegia. The physical examination was normal except for
bilateral lower limb flaccid paralysis, with abolition of deep tendon reflexes and
paraesthesia in both feet. Computed tomography showed aortic dissection,
with partial thrombosis of the false lumen, starting after the emergence of the
left subclavian artery and extending, toward the bifurcation of the aorta, to the
left iliac artery. After cerebrospinal fluid drainage, the evolution was favorable.

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Published

2012-03-30

Issue

Section

Article / Clinical Case Report

How to Cite

Aortic dissection-induced acute flaccid paraplegia treated with cerebrospinal fluid drainage. (2012). Autopsy and Case Reports, 2(1), 25-28. https://doi.org/10.4322/acr.%y.26083