Foot drop after spinal anesthesia in a patient with a low-lying cord

Ahmad, F.U.; Pandey, P.; Sharma, B.S.; Garg, A.

doi:10.1016/j.ijoa.2005.11.002

« Previous Next »International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia
Volume 15, Issue 3 , Pages 233-236, July 2006

Foot drop after spinal anesthesia in a patient with a low-lying cord

Departments of Neurosurgery and Neuroradiology, Neurosciences Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India

Accepted 1 November 2005.

F.U. Ahmad, P. Pandey, B.S. Sharma, Professor of Neurosurgery, Departments of Neurosurgery and A. Garg, Department of Neuroradiology, Neurosciences Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India.

Summary

Damage to the spinal cord/conus medullaris due to incorrect identification of the lumbar space is a known complication of lumbar puncture. However, damage to a low-lying cord using an appropriate interspace is extremely rare. We describe a 26-year-old woman who underwent emergency caesarean section under spinal anesthesia. She developed right foot drop immediately after surgery, which gradually recovered over the next 10 months. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a low lying cord with a fatty filum terminale and intramedullary T2 hyperintensity, suggestive of needle damage.