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Spinal cord infarction secondary to intervertebral foraminal disease
S Ram1, A Osman, V N Cassar-Pullicino
1Midlands Centre for Spinal Injuries, Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry, Shropshire, UK.
Study Design:
The 5 year review of patients referred to one center.
Objective:
To report spinal cord infarction secondary to vascular occlusion from disease in a lower thoracic intervertebral foramen.
Method:
The clinical and imaging findings of two cases with acute spinal cord dysfunction are presented.
Setting:
Midlands Centre for Spinal Injuries, England.
Results:
The CT and MR imaging features revealed lower thoracic unilateral foraminal occlusion due to acute facet joint septic arthritis in a diabetic patient, and secondary to chronic hypertrophic osteophytes in a second hypertensive individual. The presumed mechanism of infarction was occlusion of the artery of Adamkiewicz.
Conclusion:
Foraminal disease in the lower thoracic levels needs to be entertained in cases of unexplained nontraumatic acute spinal cord dysfunction.