Acute Paraplegia as a Presentation of Aortic Saddle Embolism.

Lisandro Irizarry,Anton Wray,Kim Guishard

doi:10.1155/2016/1250153

Lisandro Irizarry, Anton Wray + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/1250153

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Abstract

Background. Acute onset paraplegia has a myriad of causes most often of a nonvascular origin. Vascular etiologies are infrequent causes and most often associated with postsurgical complications. Objective. To describe the occurrence and possible mechanism for aortic saddle embolism as a rare cause of acute paraplegia. Case Report. Described is a case of a 46-year-old female who presented with the sudden onset of nontraumatic low back pain with rapidly progressive paraplegia which was subsequently determined to be of vascular origin.

Highlights

Low back pain is a common presenting complaint comprising approximately 3% of all emergency department visits, the majority of which are the result of injuries sustained at home [1]
Presented is a rare case of aortic saddle embolism associated with the sudden onset of low back pain and acute onset paraplegia
It should be noted that patients with rapidly progressive findings over the course of a few hours should be presumed to have an ischemic etiology of possible vascular origin

Summary

Background

Acute onset paraplegia has a myriad of causes most often of a nonvascular origin. Vascular etiologies are infrequent causes and most often associated with postsurgical complications. To describe the occurrence and possible mechanism for aortic saddle embolism as a rare cause of acute paraplegia. Described is a case of a 46-year-old female who presented with the sudden onset of nontraumatic low back pain with rapidly progressive paraplegia which was subsequently determined to be of vascular origin

Introduction

Case Report

Findings

Discussion

Conclusion