Transverse myelopathy: influence of body position as a cause.
A 37-year-old man developed an acute onset of paraplegia after traveling about 4 1/2 hr in the cab of a moving truck, sitting "crouched over, Indian style," with trunk flexed forward and the lower extremities in flexion, abduction, and external rotation. A diagnosis of transverse myelitis with probable spinal cord infarct was made. The sudden onset in this case supports a vascular origin, with body position as an important factor leading to vascular compromise of the spinal cord.
D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D007238:Infarction / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D009187:Myelitis / Q000209:etiology*; D009188:Myelitis, Transverse / Q000209:etiology*; D011187:Posture; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000098:blood supply