Spinal cord infarction caused by cardiac tamponade.
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.
Lin
Chih-Chia
CC
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, 7 Chung-Shan South Road, Taipei 10016, Taiwan, ROC.
Chen
Ssu-Yuan
SY
Lan
Ching
C
Ting-Fang Shih
Tiffany
T
Lin
Ming-Chuan
MC
Lai
Jin-Shin
JS
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