title: Ataxia in epidural spinal cord compression.
abstract: Nine patients presented with ataxia as the primary manifestation of epidural spinal cord compression. Eight had known cancer, the ninth an epidural abscess. Lower-extremity dysmetria, gait ataxia, or both, were the only neurologic signs in five patients. An incorrect initial diagnosis led to delay in treatment and subsequent neurologic deterioration in six patients. Failure to recognize isolated, painless ataxia as the initial manifestation of spinal cord compression and appropriately treat the disorder can result in irreversible spinal cord deterioration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hainline
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Tuszynski
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Posner
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000150:complications; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001259:Ataxia / Q000209:etiology*; D015174:Epidural Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000556:secondary; D004824:Epidural Space; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000150:complications*