[Perinatal spinal cord injuries]

Injury to the spinal cord is still observed in the neonate. Its prognosis is poor.

The first neonate was delivered by cesarean section for breech presentation with hyperextension of the neck. She rapidly developed acute respiratory distress and paraplegia. MRI showed spinal cord hemorrhage involving the cervical and upper thoracic cord with rupture of the cord. The patient died a few weeks later. The second neonate was delivered vaginally in breech presentation without any difficulty. She progressively developed tetraplegia evolving into spasticity. MRI showed stretching of cervical spinal cord. The patient later developed sphincter disturbances, repeated urinary and pulmonary infection and severe scoliosis.

Early prenatal damage to the spinal cord was possible in the first patient. Ultrasonography could help to evaluate the extent of damage. The condition leads to difficult ethical and therapeutic problems.