Paraplegia associated with combined spinal-epidural anaesthesia caused by preoperatively unrecognized spinal vertebral metastasis.
We describe a case of paraplegia following combined spinal-epidural anaesthesia. It was postoperatively determined that a tumour of the vertebrae which was compressing the spinal cord was responsible for this complication. We suggest that the pre-existing pathology of the spine must be borne in mind as a differential diagnosis of acute postoperative paraplegia.
D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural / Q000009:adverse effects; D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal / Q000009:adverse effects; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000209:etiology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000209:etiology; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae