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Updated: Sep 24, 2025

A Thrombotic Stroke Model Based On Transient Cerebral Hypoxia-ischemia
Published on: August 18, 2015
Fibrocartilaginous embolism: an under-recognised cause of young spinal stroke
Sai Adithya Nagaratnam1, Raymond Lam Kwong Lee2, Jonathan Sturm3,4
1Department of Neurology, Gosford Hospital, Gosford, New South Wales, Australia sai@nagaratnam.net.
Abstract:
Fibrocartilaginous embolism is a rarely reported cause of spinal cord infarction. Seemingly innocuous activities may be associated with nucleus pulposus material embolising to the spinal cord vasculature. We describe a 36-year-old woman presenting with bilateral arm paraesthesia and chest pain that evolved into an acute cord syndrome. Initial MR scan of spine showed central spinal cord T2-weighted hyperintensity over several vertebral levels, suggesting transverse myelitis. Repeat MR scan after her symptoms persisted showed an acute cord infarction from a presumed fibrocartilaginous embolus. Clinicians should consider fibrocartilaginous embolism in patients presenting with an acute cord syndrome with supportive radiological findings.
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