Sacral rhizotomy: a salvage procedure in a patient with autonomic dysreflexia.
METHODS
Case report.


OBJECTIVE
To show the feasibility of sacral deafferentation as a salvage procedure to resolve life-threatening autonomic dysreflexia.


METHODS
Paraplegic center in Switzerland.


RESULTS
In a patient presenting with acute autonomic dysreflexia leading to cardiac arrest, sacral deafferentation could prevent further episodes of autonomic dysreflexia.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with spinal cord injury, autonomic dysreflexia can be triggered by the bladder even without detrusor overactivity. In these cases, sacral deafferentation may be the only salvage procedure to prevent further serious health problems. Thus, this procedure augments the armamentarium of urologists dealing with patients suffering from spinal cord lesions.
Pannek
J
J
Department of Neuro-Urology, Swiss Paraplegic Centre, Nottwil, Switzerland. juergen.pannek@paranet.ch
Göcking
K
K
Bersch
U
U
D000328:Adult; D020211:Autonomic Dysreflexia / Q000601:surgery*; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008160:Lumbosacral Plexus / Q000601:surgery*; D008161:Lumbosacral Region; D008297:Male; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000150:complications; D019051:Rhizotomy; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications