Christina Draganich1, Lisa R Wenzel2,3. 1. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA. Christina.Draganich@cuanschutz.edu. 2. H. Ben Taub Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA. 3. TIRR Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation & Research, Houston, TX, USA.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: There have been 30 clinically suspected cases and 41 histopathologically confirmed cases of fibrocartilaginous embolism (FCE) reported in the literature. FCE often has a poor prognosis and is estimated to represent 5.5% of spinal cord infarctions, but may be more common than initially presumed given underdiagnosis due to its vague clinical presentation. CASE PRESENTATION: We report two cases, a 15-year-old male and a 15-year-old female, whose clinical history, examination, and imaging findings were consistent with spinal cord infarction secondary to FCE. DISCUSSION: These cases were unique given our patients' neurologic improvement; however, the commonly held assumption of poor prognosis may in part be fueled by the preferential case ascertainment via biopsy on autopsy. These cases highlight the importance of recognizing rare causes of spinal cord pathology and considering FCE in the differential diagnosis of acute myelopathy.
INTRODUCTION: There have been 30 clinically suspected cases and 41 histopathologically confirmed cases of fibrocartilaginous embolism (FCE) reported in the literature. FCE often has a poor prognosis and is estimated to represent 5.5% of spinal cord infarctions, but may be more common than initially presumed given underdiagnosis due to its vague clinical presentation. CASE PRESENTATION: We report two cases, a 15-year-old male and a 15-year-old female, whose clinical history, examination, and imaging findings were consistent with spinal cord infarction secondary to FCE. DISCUSSION: These cases were unique given our patients' neurologic improvement; however, the commonly held assumption of poor prognosis may in part be fueled by the preferential case ascertainment via biopsy on autopsy. These cases highlight the importance of recognizing rare causes of spinal cord pathology and considering FCE in the differential diagnosis of acute myelopathy.
Authors: Mahmoud A AbdelRazek; Ashkan Mowla; Salman Farooq; Nicholas Silvestri; Robert Sawyer; Gil Wolfe Journal: J Spinal Cord Med Date: 2015-12-17 Impact factor: 1.985
Authors: W Brinjikji; P H Luetmer; B Comstock; B W Bresnahan; L E Chen; R A Deyo; S Halabi; J A Turner; A L Avins; K James; J T Wald; D F Kallmes; J G Jarvik Journal: AJNR Am J Neuroradiol Date: 2014-11-27 Impact factor: 3.825
Authors: J de Seze; T Stojkovic; G Breteau; C Lucas; U Michon-Pasturel; J Y Gauvrit; E Hachulla; F Mounier-Vehier; J P Pruvo; D Leys; A Destée; P Y Hatron; P Vermersch Journal: Brain Date: 2001-08 Impact factor: 13.501