title: Postshunt myelopathy.
abstract: Postshunt myelopathy is a rare, severely debilitating syndrome complicating portosystemic shunts that is characterized by spastic paraparesis. In this report we describe a 39-year-old woman with alcoholic liver disease and postshunt myelopathy resulting in an inability to walk. The syndrome did not become manifest until eight years after construction of a side-to-side portacaval shunt. This case is compared with reported literature on the subject.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: V G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Bain
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Jhamandas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004932:Esophageal and Gastric Varices / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000150:complications; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000209:etiology*; D011167:Portacaval Shunt, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D013997:Time Factors