[Acute paraparesis in chronic hepatic disease]

An acuta caude equina syndrome following portacaval shunt in a 64-year-old patient suffering from liver cirrhosis is reported. Diagnosis of a hepatic radiculopathy was confirmed by clinical and electrophysiological findings. A nearly complete remission of the neurological symptoms was achieved by treatment of the primary liver disease. Since there are only a few descriptions of severe hepatic polyneuro- and radiculopathies, the differential diagnosis of hepatic myelopathy is discussed.