| Post-spinal Cauda Equina Syndrome . |
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Jung In Bae, Jae Kyu Jeon |
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Department of Anesthesiology, Keimyung University Medical College and Hospital, Taegu, Korea. |
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| Abstract |
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Cauda equina syndrome is characterized by urinary retention, loss of sexual function, loss of sensation in the perineal region and incontinence of feces. It had been reported by Courville, Kennedy, et al early in 1950. Since then Dripps, Vandam, Philips and others have reviewed many thousands of cases for evalustion of neurologic complications following spinal anesthesia, but there has not been a single case of permanent neurologic sequels reported.
This 32 year old male with this postspinal neurologic complication was admitted to this institution on the twelveth post-operative day. His surgery had been carried out under spinal anesthesia for removal of an exostosis of the left knee at a local clinic. According to the history at the local clinic, a lumbar tap was performed at the level between L4-5, then 5% lidocaine in 5% D/W was injected into the subarachnoid space and the surgery was finished untevenfully. He developed pain in his buttocks and coccygeal region 6 hours after the surgery was done, so morphine sulfate was injected into the epidural space. After that, the pain was relieved for a while but he again started having the same pain associated with loss of sensation of the lower extremities, urinary retention, constipation and penile impotence on the 10th post-operative day. He came to this institution for 3 months with the above symptoms on the twelveth post-operative day. A cystoscopy and cystometry was done and showed a neurogenic bladder. He was treated with Urecholine for urinary retention and Dexamethasone for arachnoiditis for 2 months. He also had enemas intermittently for severe constipation and a Foley catheter was inserted. He was trained to void by himself by pressing his lower abdomen. He went home with the same symptoms after the Foley catheter was removed. The possible complications and preventions were listed in tabel l and ll. We will follow the patient. |
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