Paraplegia Caused by Vertebral Metastasis during Pain Control in Cervical Cancer Patient -A case report-

자궁경부암 환자의 통증치료중 척추전이에 의한 하반신 마비 -증례 보고-

  • Kim, In-Jung (Pain Clinic, Department of Anesthesiolgy, Sunrin Hospital) ;
  • Chun, Bum-Soo (Pain Clinic, Department of Anesthesiolgy, Sunrin Hospital) ;
  • Kyeon, Il-Soo (Pain Clinic, Department of Anesthesiolgy, Sunrin Hospital) ;
  • Lee, Jung-Koo (Pain Clinic, Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine, Keymyung University)
  • 김인정 (포항선린병원 마취과) ;
  • 천범수 (포항선린병원 마취과) ;
  • 견일수 (포항선린병원 마취과) ;
  • 이정구 (계명대학교 의과대학 마취과학교실)
  • Published : 1997.11.22

Abstract

Continuous epidural infusion, a combination of local anesthetic and opioid, have been widely administered for treatment of chronic cancer pain. A serious complications of epidural block is paraplegia which can also be caused by : direct spinal cord injury, epidural hematoma, epidural abscess, ischemic change, neurotoxicity, preexisting disease. Continuous epidural block for pain control of patient with cervical cancer was performed at $T_{12}/L_1$ interspace. A 4 cm catheter was inserted cephalad into the epidural space. After four months, back pain and motor weariless of lower extremities progressively developed. Spine CT showed bony destruction and soft mass-like lesion at $T_9$ & $T_{12}$ spine. We propose paraplegia was caused by spinal cord compression which resulted from vertebral metastasis of cervical cancer.

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