Acute paraplegia. A rare complication of aortic dissection
de Lacerda, R.C.; Andrea, P.B.; Machado Neto, E.; de Figueiredo, C.B.; Teixeira, A.B.; de Carvalho, P.C.
Arquivos Brasileiros de Cardiologia 70(4): 275-278
1998
ISSN/ISBN: 0066-782X PMID: 9687628 Document Number: 495541
A 67 year-old normotensive woman had a syncope followed by shock and remained anuric after hemodynamic stabilization. Paraplegia and paresis of the right upper limb, as well as signs of ischemia of the distal lower limbs were noted. The possibility of acute aortic dissection was raised and confirmed by computed tomography. The paraplegia was attributed to an ischemic infarction of the spinal cord. The patient died on the fourth hospital day due to a pericardial temponade. This rare and not well recognized complication of aortic dissection is briefly reviewed.