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Case Report

Open Access

Transverse myelitis following general and thoracic epidural anaesthesia

  • MOJCA DRNOVSEK GLOBOKAR1
  • VESNA PAVER ERZEN1
  • VESNA NOVAK JANKOVIC1

1,Clinical Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Therapy University Medical Centre Ljubljana

DOI: 10.22514/SV52.112010.5 Vol.5,Issue 2,November 2010 pp.29-31

Published: 01 November 2010

*Corresponding Author(s): MOJCA DRNOVSEK GLOBOKAR E-mail: mojca.drnovsek@kclj.sir

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Abstract

Acute bacterial transverse myelitis, secondary to an epidural catheter, developed in a 49-year-old man who underwent surgery for carcinoma of the left lung. Left pneumonectomy was performed under combined general and epidural (Th6-7) anesthesia. The operative procedure, anaesthesia and early postoperative course were uneventful. On the fifth postopera-tive day, the patient developed neurological deficits consistent with high-level paraplegia. Elevated inflammatory parameters along with the results of cerebrospinal fluid analysis and magnetic resonance imaging were suggestive of acute transverse bacterial myelitis of the dorsal part of the spinal cord secondary to epidural analgesia. Despite prompt antibiotic therapy, anti-oedema treatment and rehabilitation, the neurological deficit failed to resolve. 

Keywords

epidural anaesthesia, paraplegia, transverse myelitis

Cite and Share

MOJCA DRNOVSEK GLOBOKAR,VESNA PAVER ERZEN,VESNA NOVAK JANKOVIC. Transverse myelitis following general and thoracic epidural anaesthesia. Signa Vitae. 2010. 5(2);29-31.

URL:

https://www.signavitae.com/articles/10.22514/SV52.112010.5

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