Korean J Spine.  2017 Dec;14(4):155-157. 10.14245/kjs.2017.14.4.155.

Sudden Paraplegia Caused by Nontraumatic Cervical Disc Rupture: A Case Report

• Kim SM
• Choi BS
• Lee S

• KMID: 2404704
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14245/kjs.2017.14.4.155

Abstract

A 38-year-old man visited our Emergency Department for sudden onset paraplegia that occurred 1 hour ago. He felt a piercing pain in the posterior neck and became paraplegic while he was watching television, lying down on a sofa. Neurological examination showed motor power grades II-III in both arms and grade 0 in both legs. His cervical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a large ruptured disc at the C5-6 level, severely compressing the spinal cord. Emergency anterior cervical discectomy and fusion at C5-6 were performed. Because extensive cord swelling was observed on postoperative MRI, laminoplasty from C3 to C6 was performed 3 days after the initial operation. At a postoperative 8-month follow-up, the motor power was improved to grade III-IV- for both hands and grade IV- for both legs. Nontraumatic cervical disc rupture causing acute paraplegia is a very rare but possible event. Immediate neurologic assessment and thorough imaging studies to allow accurate diagnosis are crucial. Emergency surgical decompression is important and may lead to good neurological outcomes.

Keyword

Nontraumatic; Disc rupture; Disc herniation; Cervical disc; Paraplegia

MeSH Terms

Adult
Arm
Deception
Decompression, Surgical
Diagnosis
Diskectomy
Emergencies
Emergency Service, Hospital
Follow-Up Studies
Hand
Humans
Laminoplasty
Leg
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Neck
Neurologic Examination
Paraplegia*
Rupture*
Spinal Cord
Television