J Korean Neurosurg Soc.  2009 Nov;46(5):505-510. 10.3340/jkns.2009.46.5.505.

Cervical Disc Herniation as a Cause of Brown-Sequard Syndrome

• Choi KB
• Lee CD
• Chung DJ
• Lee SH

• KMID: 2190086
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3340/jkns.2009.46.5.505

Abstract

The possible causes of Brown-Sequard Syndrome (BSS) have been frequently observed with spinal trauma and extramedullary spinal tumors, but the cervical disc herniation to cause BSS is rare. The authors present five cases of patients who were diagnosed with BSS resulting from cervical disc herniation, and the results of the literature in view of their distinctive symptoms and clinical outcomes. Postoperatively, the patients showed complete or almost complete recovery from their motor and sensory deficits. On the basis of our cases, it is important to diagnose it early by cervical magnetic resonance imaging, especially in the absence of the typical symptoms of cervical disc herniation or other obvious etiology of extremity numbness. Immediate surgical treatment is also essential for a favorable functional neurological recovery.

Keyword

Brown-Sequard Syndrome; cervical disc herniation; anterior cervical discectomy and fusion

MeSH Terms

Brown-Sequard Syndrome
Extremities
Humans
Hypesthesia
Magnetic Resonance Imaging