Related Experiment Videos
Paraspinal muscle impingement causing acute Brown-Sequard syndrome after posterior cervical decompression
Patrick W Jost1, Satyajit Marawar, Patrick F O'Leary
1Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY 10021, USA. jostp@hss.edu
Spine
|March 16, 2010
Summary
A rare cause of postoperative neurologic compromise following posterior cervical decompression is presented. Swollen paraspinal muscles impinging on the spinal cord led to Brown-Sequard syndrome in a muscular patient.
Area of Science:
- Neurosurgery
- Spinal Surgery
- Neurology
Background:
- Postoperative neurologic deficits after cervical spine surgery have various known causes.
- This case report details an unusual mechanism of acute paralysis post-posterior cervical decompression.
Observation:
- A muscular patient developed Brown-Sequard syndrome hours after posterior cervical laminectomy and foraminotomy.
- MRI revealed spinal cord impingement by swollen paraspinal muscles, without epidural hematoma.
Findings:
- Emergent re-exploration confirmed paraspinal muscle swelling as the cause of spinal cord compression.
- The patient recovered neurologic function after muscle debulking and subsequent anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.
Implications:
- Surgeons performing posterior cervical decompression should consider paraspinal muscle swelling and loss of lordosis as potential causes of neurologic compromise, particularly in muscular individuals.
- Awareness of this rare complication is crucial for prompt diagnosis and management to ensure optimal patient outcomes.
