Spine and spinal cord emergencies: vascular and infectious causes.
This content presents infectious and vascular spinal emergencies, including epidural abscess, nontraumatic epidural hematoma, vascular malformations, and spinal cord infarction. The spine is subjected to multiple potential insults, such as trauma, infection, ischemia, hemorrhage, tumor, inflammation, and degeneration. All of these processes can lead to the sudden onset of neurologic symptoms, such as motor weaknesses, bowel and bladder incontinence, and sensory changes. Therefore, prompt recognition of these entities is important to reverse or minimize potential neurologic injury. The authors discuss several infectious and vascular spinal emergencies, including epidural abscess, nontraumatic epidural hematoma, vascular malformations, and spinal cord infarction.
Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, 505 Parnassus Avenue, MS112, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
Vincent Y
VY
Wang
Dean
D
Chou
Cynthia
C
Chin
D020785:Central Nervous System Vascular Malformations / Q000150:complications; D004630:Emergencies; D020802:Epidural Abscess / Q000209:etiology; D046748:Hematoma, Epidural, Spinal / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009187:Myelitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000382:microbiology*; D020760:Spinal Cord Ischemia / Q000150:complications*; D001750:Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology