Systemic Weber-Christian disease complicated by partial transverse myelopathy

Weber-Christian disease is an inflammatory disorder of fatty tissue which usually presents with raised red tender nodules in the skin. Although there may be additional systemic upset, there are very few reports of neurological features associated with this condition. We report a patient with biopsy-confirmed systemic Weber-Christian disease in whom a transient partial myelopathy, of probable inflammatory origin, was the most prominent feature. Based on recent reports of the effects of immune mediators on neuronal function, a possible pathogenetic explanation for this syndrome is suggested.