title: Spinal cord infarction caused by cardiac tamponade.
abstract: This article describes a 16-yr-old male patient who went into shock and cardiac arrest 2 wk after surgical repair of an atrial septal defect. Cardiac tamponade was diagnosed and promptly treated, and his hemodynamic status stabilized 4 hr after the initial presentation of shock; however, paraplegia was found when the patient regained consciousness. Physicians should be alert to a possible diagnosis of spinal cord infarction in patients with complications of cardiovascular surgery, particularly when a new onset of neurologic symptoms or signs occurs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, 7 Chung-Shan South Road, Taipei 10016, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Chih-Chia
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Ssu-Yuan
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ching
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.forename: Tiffany
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ting-Fang Shih
authors.forename: Ming-Chuan
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Jin-Shin
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lai
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007238:Infarction / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011859:Radiography; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016896:Treatment Outcome