Autonomic Dysreflexia-Like Syndrome in a T12 Paraplegic During Thoracic Spine Surgery

Abstract

A 19-year-old African American man with a T12 spinal cord lesion underwent a T4-L5 thoracolumbar spinal fusion. Intraoperatively, his arterial blood pressure acutely increased from 110/60 to 260/130 mm Hg without a change in heart rate. The patient did not have pheochromocytoma, carcinoid syndrome, or thyroid storm. This presentation differs from autonomic dysreflexia because the spinal cord lesion was well below T6, hypertension was elicited with somatic stimulation above the lesion, and the response required aggressive pharmacologic management. This presentation is consistent with similar cases that support a central autonomic process.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 01, 2010
Accession Number
ADA532893

Entities

People

  • Carlton Q. Brown
  • Nicki S. Tarant
  • Samuel N. Blacker

Organizations

  • Walter Reed Army Medical Center

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • African Americans
  • Analgesia
  • Anesthesiology
  • Blood
  • Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena
  • Death
  • Electronic Mail
  • Heart Rate
  • Medical Personnel
  • Physical Examination (Medicine)
  • Physicians
  • Spinal Cord
  • Spine
  • Surgery
  • Vital Signs

Fields of Study

  • Medicine

Readers

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