Postoperative paraplegia in a patient with an unsuspected dural arterio-venous malformation.
We report a case in which laminectomy was performed in a patient with symptoms attributed to lumbar canal stenosis. The patient developed paraplegia in the early postoperative period. Further investigation revealed a dural arterio-venous malformation. This was treated surgically, producing some neurological recovery. The possible mechanisms for the perioperative deterioration and their implications for anaesthesia are discussed.
Woodall
N
N
Department of Anaesthesia, National Hospitals for Nervous Diseases, London.
Huggins
N J
NJ
Jewkes
D A
DA
D001165:Arteriovenous Malformations / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004388:Dura Mater / Q000098:blood supply*; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy; D008297:Male; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000209:etiology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D013130:Spinal Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis