[Atrophy of the cervical spinal cord as a consequence of a prenatal ischemic infarct].
BACKGROUND
Spinal cord injuries in newborn infants following a traumatic delivery are well known, but occasionally cord damage is appreciated in children whose birth did not involve any complications; in some of them there has been proof of an ischemic process that originated inside the uterus.


METHODS
We describe the case of a newborn female with atrophy of the cervical spinal cord compatible with an intrauterine ischemic infarct. It extended to the C4-C6 territory of the anterior spinal artery, with greater participation on the left side. Clinical symptoms were apparent from the moment of birth and took the form of an asymmetric pseudoarthrogryposis in the upper limbs. The left arm was held in abduction at the height of the shoulder, with complete flexion of the elbow and the hand at the height of the chin was hypotonic, inactive and hypotrophic; the right arm was extended and in adduction. The patient presented episodes of hyperthermia that remitted on cooling the body.


CONCLUSIONS
When faced with a newborn infant with symptoms that are compatible with chronic cervical spinal cord damage and in the absence of any perinatal traumatic injury, other causes, including prenatal ischemic infarct, must be taken into account.
Roche-Herrero
M C
MC
Servicio de Neurología Infantil, Hospital La Paz, Madrid, Spain. croche.hulp@salud.madrid.org
Miranda-Cid
C
C
Royo-Orejas
A
A
Escudero-Lou
R M
RM
D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007238:Infarction / Q000150:complications*; D049188:Prenatal Injuries; D011859:Radiography; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D020760:Spinal Cord Ischemia / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology