Confusion after spine injury: cerebral fat embolism after traumatic rupture of a Tarlov cyst: case report.
BACKGROUND
Acute low back pain is a very common symptom and reason for many medical consultations. In some unusual circumstances it could be linked to a rare aetiology.


METHODS
We report a 70-year-old man with an 8-month history of left posterior thigh and leg pain who had sudden confusion after a fall from standing. It was due to cerebral fat embolism suspected by computed tomography scan, later confirmed by brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A spinal MRI scan was then performed and revealed a sacral fracture which drained into an unknown perineurial cyst (Tarlov cyst). Under medical observation the patient fully recovered within three weeks.


CONCLUSIONS
Sacral perineurial cysts are rare, however they remain a potential cause of lumbosacral radiculopathy.
Duja
Corina M
CM
Division of Emergency and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, Hôpital de Hautepierre, Strasbourg, France.
Berna
Christophe
C
Kremer
Stéphane
S
Géronimus
Claude
C
Kopferschmitt
Jacques
J
Bilbault
Pascal
P
D000058:Accidental Falls; D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004620:Embolism, Fat / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D020766:Intracranial Embolism / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011843:Radiculopathy / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D012421:Rupture / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D012447:Sacrum / Q000293:injuries*; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D052958:Tarlov Cysts / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy