title: Painless transient paraparesis as the solitary manifestation of aortic dissection.
abstract: We present a 62-year-old man with acute and temporary paraparesis of the lower extremities as the solitary symptom of an anterior spinal artery syndrome caused by a type B aortic dissection. Ischemia of the spinal cord was confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging. Neurologic symptoms resolved completely within 6 hours and conservative treatment was successful up to 8 months follow-up. Our report illustrates that painless, transient neurologic deficit can be the only presenting symptom of acute aortic dissection and that aortic dissection should be part of the differential diagnosis of acute paraparesis.
authors: Department of Vascular Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: van Zeggeren
authors: Evert J
authors: EJ
authors: Waasdorp
authors: Bart H
authors: BH
authors: van de Worp
authors: Susanne T
authors: ST
authors: Meijer
authors: Frans L
authors: FL
authors: Moll
authors: Gert J
authors: GJ
authors: de Borst
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D001027:Aortography / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000294:innervation*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D020335:Paraparesis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D020760:Spinal Cord Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors