title: Transient tetraplegia and vegetative dysfunction depending on cervical positioning caused by a cervical spinal chordoma.
abstract: A 39-year-old man with acquired torticollis suffering from cervicobrachialgia and neurological deficits is presented. Due to a change in head position a transient reproducible tetraplegia and severe vegetative dysfunctions were caused. The origin of this uncommon serious combination of symptoms and signs was a chordoma of the upper cervical spine. After surgical decompression the patient was free of neurological deficit and pain. Review of the literature did not reveal any similar case.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany. dr.tobias.schulte@web.de
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Schulte
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hammersen
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Heidenreich
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Pietilä
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D002817:Chordoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018458:Persistent Vegetative State / Q000209:etiology*; D011187:Posture; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000209:etiology*; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D014103:Torticollis / Q000209:etiology*