title: Spinal cord infarction following minor trauma in children: fibrocartilaginous embolism as a putative cause.
abstract: Spinal cord infarctions following seemingly innocuous trauma in children are rare, devastating events. In the majority of these cases, the pathophysiology is enigmatic. The authors present 3 cases of pediatric spinal cord infarction that followed minor trauma. An analysis of the clinical, radiographic, and laboratory features of these cases suggests that thromboembolism of the nucleus pulposus into the spinal cord microcirculation is the likely mechanism. A review of the human and veterinary literature supports this notion. To the authors' knowledge, this is the largest pediatric series of myelopathy due to thromboembolism of the nucleus pulposus reported to date, and it is the first report of this condition occurring in an infant.
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA. andrew.reisner@choa.org
authors: Andrew
authors: A
authors: Reisner
authors: Matthew F
authors: MF
authors: Gary
authors: Joshua J
authors: JJ
authors: Chern
authors: J Damien
authors: JD
authors: Grattan-Smith
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D002357:Cartilage Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D003615:Dancing / Q000293:injuries; D004617:Embolism / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007238:Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D020760:Spinal Cord Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy