S N Gupta1, J H Piatt, B Belay. 1. Section of Child Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA.
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN: Case report. SETTING: Temple University Children's Medical Center in USA. OBJECTIVES: To report a patient whose recurrent and transient episodes of quadriplegia mimicked cervical cord neurapraxia. Cervical spine neuroimaging revealed congenital intersegmental fusion of C5 through C7 (consistent with Klippel-Feil anomaly), corresponding abnormal spinal cord signals on T2-weighted images and enhancing focal lesion opposite the C4 vertebral body. A posterior cervical decompression at C4-C5 and lateral mass fixation was performed, and the episodic quadriplegia has not recurred. CONCLUSION: Understanding of the biomechanics of Klippel-Feil anomaly may facilitate prompt referral for surgical management and avoidance of permanent disability.
STUDY DESIGN: Case report. SETTING: Temple University Children's Medical Center in USA. OBJECTIVES: To report a patient whose recurrent and transient episodes of quadriplegia mimicked cervical cord neurapraxia. Cervical spine neuroimaging revealed congenital intersegmental fusion of C5 through C7 (consistent with Klippel-Feil anomaly), corresponding abnormal spinal cord signals on T2-weighted images and enhancing focal lesion opposite the C4 vertebral body. A posterior cervical decompression at C4-C5 and lateral mass fixation was performed, and the episodic quadriplegia has not recurred. CONCLUSION: Understanding of the biomechanics of Klippel-Feil anomaly may facilitate prompt referral for surgical management and avoidance of permanent disability.