35. Secondary cervical spinal cord injury after surgery: A case report and mechanism commentary

Doan Trung Hieu, Hoang Gia Du, Nguyen Toan Thang

Main Article Content

Abstract

Anesthesia for patients suffering or suspected of having spinal cord injuries presents numerous challenges and potential hazards for both patients and healthcare professionals. A secondary spinal injury has the potential to manifest at any point during anesthesia or surgical procedure. Given the significant impact that cervical spinal cord injury can have on patients, their families, and society at large, it is crucial to prioritize both the success of spinal surgery and the avoidance of secondary cervical cord injury. By conducting a thorough assessment of patients prior to and after surgery, coupled with a comprehensive awareness of the risk variables involved, the anesthesiologist and the surgeon can effectively employ a suitable approach to mitigate the occurrence of secondary spinal cord damage during the perioperative period. We report the case of a 70-year-old male patient with multilevel cervical-thoracic spinal stenosis who had a cervical spinal cord injury that occurred after thoracic spine surgery that was detected and surgically treated in a timely manner. The objective of the article is to analyze the pathological mechanism and consider various clinical issues related to cervical spinal cord injury secondary to surgery.

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References

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