[Acute nontraumatic myelopathies: a review of 36 cases]

The objective of this investigation was to know the features of acute nontraumatic myelopathies in our area, given the paucity of reported data. Therefore, 36 episodes of myelitis observed during a 15-year period at Hospital Nacional de Parapléjicos were retrospectively reviewed. Cases associated with multiple sclerosis were excluded. On etiological basis these disorders were classified in vascular (in its turn subclassified in surgical and non-surgical) and inflammatory myelopathies. The functional prognosis was poor. Two patients with non-surgical vascular myelitis suffered a second episode of spinal ischemia which deteriorated their conditions. The usefulness of NMR seems to be limited.