Spinal Cord Infarction Caused by Cardiac Tamponade

Abstract

Lin CC, Chen SY, Lan C, Shih TTF, Lin MC, Lai JS: Spinal cord infarction caused by cardiac tamponade. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2002;81:68–71. This article describes a 16-yr-old male patient who went into shock and cardiac arrest 2 wk after surgical repair of an atrial septal defect. Cardiac tamponade was diagnosed and promptly treated, and his hemodynamic status stabilized 4 hr after the initial presentation of shock; however, paraplegia was found when the patient regained consciousness. Physicians should be alert to a possible diagnosis of spinal cord infarction in patients with complications of cardiovascular surgery, particularly when a new onset of neurologic symptoms or signs occurs.