Spinal cord infarction following therapeutic computed tomography-guided left L2 nerve root injection.
METHODS
Case report.


OBJECTIVE
To report a rare case of spinal cord infarction following therapeutic computed tomography-guided nerve root injection.


BACKGROUND
Diagnostic and therapeutic image-guided nerve root injection is commonly performed in the management of low back pain and sciatica. The severe complication of spinal cord infarction has been reported in only 3 cases previously.


METHODS
Retrospective review of case records and imaging.


RESULTS
A 71-year-old woman presented with symptoms and signs of left L2 nerve root compression. She was managed with computed tomography-guided left L2 nerve root injection using bupivacaine and triamcinolone and developed immediate bilateral sensory loss and paraplegia. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated diffuse hyperintensity within the distal thoracic cord and conus on T2-weighted images, consistent with spinal cord infarction.


CONCLUSIONS
We report the fourth case of spinal cord infarction following nerve root injection. The severity of this complication warrants that it should be considered during patient consent for this procedure.
Somayaji
H S
HS
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust, Brockley Hill, Stanmore, Middlesex, United Kingdom.
Saifuddin
A
A
Casey
A T H
AT
Briggs
T W R
TW
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007238:Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D007278:Injections, Spinal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods