The syndrome of acute anterior lumbar spinal cord injury.
This is a presentation of 3 patients who manifested with the clinical syndrome of anterior spinal cord injury at the lumbar level. A combined injury of conus medullaris and cauda equina in this particular level of the cord between T12 to L2 spines makes clinical assessment difficult leading to a false diagnosis of "cauda equina injury". Careful studies of the ventral cord of the conus medullaris are needed to confirm a contusion, hematomyelia or compression. Basis for theoretical presence of lumbar anterior cord syndrome as well as clinical diagnosis are discussed.
Kim
S W
SW
Spinal Cord Injury Service, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Bronx, New York.
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D002420:Cauda Equina / Q000293:injuries*; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D006801:Humans; D008161:Lumbosacral Region; D008297:Male; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013577:Syndrome