Severe Unilateral Proprioceptive Loss in Medullary- Rostral Spinal Cord Infarction. A Posterior Spinal Artery Syndrome

Abstract

We draw attention to a unique presentation, severe unilateral loss of limb proprioception, in patients with medullary and rostral spinal cord infarction. Two patients developed acute severe proprioceptive loss in the limbs ipsilateral to infarcts that involved the caudal medulla and rostral spinal cord. They also had symptoms and signs often found in lateral medullary infarction. The proprioceptive loss is attributable to injury to the gracile and cuneate nuclei and/or their projections to the medial lemniscus. The infarct territory is supplied by the posterior spinal branches of the vertebral artery near its penetration into the posterior fossa. The presence of severe ipsilateral proprioceptive loss in a patient with features of lateral medullary infarction indicates involvement of the rostral spinal cord.