[Spinal cord involvement by the human immunodeficiency virus. Vacuolar myelopathy]

Vacuolar myelopathy is the most frequent spinal syndrome in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus, presently considered to be related to a direct action of the virus. The authors review the historical, clinical, pathological and etiopathogenetic aspects of this new entity, stressing the difficulties posed by its differential diagnosis and its scarce therapeutic possibilities.