Delayed Onset of Thoracic SCIWORA in Adults.
Spinal cord injury (SCI) without radiographic abnormality (SCIWORA) is estimated to account for 1-9% of the occurrence of SCI. Of these, cervical SCIWORA in children is common, but thoracic SCIWORA delayed onset in adult is much less common. We experienced a case of 38-years old male patient with lower extremity weakness; he had fallen down a week earlier before the investigation. At the time of admission, motor grade was 4 with voiding incontinence and ambulated with cane. He presented progressive weakness from G4 to G3 and hypoesthesia was below T8 dermatome and ambulated with wheelchair. Whole spine and lumbar MRI findings showed no abnormality and electrodiagnostic findings showed normal NCS, however, abnormal SEP on both the tibial nerves. After steroid therapy and proper rehabilitation program for 2 weeks, lower extremity strength was improved from G4 to G3, voiding was continent, and ambulation reached cane gait.
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Konyang University College of Medicine, Daejeon 371-718, Korea.
Man-Choon
MC
Park
Soo-Kyung
SK
Bok
Soo-Jin
SJ
Lee
Dong-Heun
DH
Ahn
Young-Jin
YJ
Lee
Delayed onset; Spinal cord injury; Thoracic spine