Rapidly Progressive Paraplegia Resulting from Latent Cervical Dural Arteriovenous Fistula After Lumbar Surgery: A Case Report

January 21, 2022

doi: 10.2106/JBJS.CC.21.00561.

Affiliations

Item in Clipboard

Zhenchuan Han et al.

JBJS Case Connect.

2022.

Abstract

Case:

A 68-year-old woman developed symptoms of acute paraplegia due to an occult cervical dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) after a minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF). She was subsequently diagnosed by angiography and treated with vascular embolization. A 2-year follow-up showed that the patient’s upper limb muscle strength returned to normal, and the lower limb muscle strength partially improved with remnant motor dysfunction.

Conclusion:

For patients with symptoms of nerve injury inconsistent with the spinal surgery site, a possibility of DAVF should be considered, and related investigations should be performed. Once diagnosed, active treatment is required.

Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: The Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest forms are provided with the online version of the article (http://links.lww.com/JBJSCC/B769).

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