A case of effective cerebrospinal fluid drainage for paraplegia caused by acute aortic dissection

A 65-year-old man with sudden back pain was transferred to our hospital by ambulance, who also complained of sensory and motor disorder of bilateral legs on arrival. The neurological disorder was gradually aggravated and paraplegia below the level of Th10 was manifested. Computed tomography demonstrated DeBakey IIIb acute aortic dissection; therefore, the paraplegia was thought to be due to spinal cord ischemia caused by the acute aortic dissection. Emergent cerebrospinal fluid drainage was performed, and it was very effective for the relief from paraplegia. The hospital course after the drainage was uneventful and he was discharged on the 39th day after the onset of symptoms.