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Myelitis: a rare presentation of mumps
R Bansal1, J Kalita, U K Misra
1Department of Neurology, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India.
Pediatric Neurosurgery
|September 10, 1998
Summary
This case study details mumps myelitis, a rare neurological complication. Prompt methylprednisolone treatment led to significant recovery in a young patient with acute paraplegia.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Infectious Diseases
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Mumps myelitis is a rare neurological complication of mumps virus infection.
- It typically presents with spinal cord inflammation, leading to motor and sensory deficits.
Observation:
- A 10-year-old boy presented with acute paraplegia and urinary retention, with parotid swelling appearing days after myelitis symptoms.
- Initial neurological assessment showed grade I-II paraplegia on the Medical Research Council (MRC) scale.
- Spinal MRI revealed extensive hyperintense signal changes from C3 to T12, indicative of myelitis.
Findings:
- Central motor conduction time to the tibialis anterior (CMCT-TA) was prolonged.
- Following 5 days of methylprednisolone therapy, the patient experienced marked improvement in muscle weakness and urinary function.
- Repeat CMCT-TA measurements normalized, and a follow-up MRI after one month showed complete resolution of spinal cord lesions.
Implications:
- Methylprednisolone therapy appears effective in treating mumps myelitis, likely due to its anti-inflammatory and anti-edema effects.
- The rapid clinical and radiological recovery supports early intervention with corticosteroids.
- While natural recovery is possible, the temporal correlation suggests a significant role for methylprednisolone in this case.