title: A young woman with numbness in her feet.
abstract: This article describes a young, otherwise healthy woman who presented to the ED with numbness in her feet and was discharged. Twenty-four hours later, she returned because of difficulty walking; in 48 hours she could not walk without assistance. Although Guillain-Barré syndrome was suspected initially, the patient's weakness, sensory loss, and autonomic dysfunction eventually were diagnosed as transverse myelitis, a myelopathy often associated with infectious or autoimmune diseases. The article describes the presentation, diagnostic evaluation and criteria, treatment, and prognosis of transverse myelitis.
authors.affiliation: Daniel Pavlik is an assistant professor and academic coordinator at Salus University in Elkins Park, Pa., and practices clinically in emergency medicine at Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center in Camden, N.J., and at Lower Bucks Hospital in Bristol, Pa. Michael Huber is an assistant professor and academic coordinator in the Department of Medical Science and Community Health at Arcadia University in Glenside, Pa., and practices in internal medicine at the Mazzoni Center in Philadelphia, Pa. Melissa Justice is an assistant professor and clinical coordinator in the Department of Medical Science and Community Health at Arcadia University and practices in surgery at Chestnut Hill Hospital in Philadelphia, Pa. The authors have disclosed no potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pavlik
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Justice
mesh_terms: D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D020275:Guillain-Barre Syndrome; D006801:Humans; D006987:Hypesthesia / Q000209:etiology*; D011379:Prognosis; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases; D055815:Young Adult