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Updated: May 24, 2026
09:40
An Ivor Lewis Esophagectomy Designed to Minimize Anastomotic Complications and Optimize Conduit Function
Published on: April 17, 2020
Paraplegia following oesophagectomy
Navneel Shahi1, Julius Asante-Siaw, Joseph F K Marzouk
1Northern General Hospital, Sheffield S5 7AS, UK.
BMJ Case Reports
|February 23, 2012
Summary
A rare case of postoperative paraplegia after esophageal cancer surgery is presented. Spinal cord infarction, likely from aortic plaque embolization during surgery, caused severe neurological deficits.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Cardiovascular Surgery
- Oncology
Background:
- Esophagectomy for esophageal carcinoma can involve thoracic aortic manipulation.
- Complications affecting spinal cord blood supply are rare but serious.
Purpose of the Study:
- To report a rare case of postoperative paraplegia following esophagectomy.
- To investigate the etiology of the neurological deficit.
Main Methods:
- Case report of a patient with esophageal carcinoma.
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to evaluate neurological deficit.
Main Results:
- Patient developed paraplegia with sensory loss (T2-T6) and lower extremity weakness post-esophagectomy.
- MRI revealed spinal cord infarction (D2-D6), ruling out epidural hematoma or abscess.
- Etiology suspected to be embolization from atherosclerotic thoracic aorta plaque.
Conclusions:
- Spinal cord infarction is an extremely rare complication of esophagectomy.
- Aortic manipulation during surgery may lead to embolization and compromise spinal blood supply.
- This complication, though rare, highlights potential neurological risks in thoracic aortic surgery.
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