Irreversible spinal cord injury as a complication of subarachnoid ethanol neurolysis

M L McGarvey; F M Ferrante; R S Patel; J A Maljian; M Stecker

doi:10.1212/wnl.54.7.1522

Irreversible spinal cord injury as a complication of subarachnoid ethanol neurolysis

Neurology. 2000 Apr 11;54(7):1522-4. doi: 10.1212/wnl.54.7.1522.

Authors

M L McGarvey¹, F M Ferrante, R S Patel, J A Maljian, M Stecker

Affiliation

¹ Departments of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA. mlmcgarv@mail.med.upenn.edu

PMID: 10751270
DOI: 10.1212/wnl.54.7.1522

Abstract

Subarachnoid neurolysis using ethanol to destroy selectively the posterior roots of the spinal cord is a method for providing pain relief in patients with advanced cancer. Weakness of the extremities is a complication of the procedure that has been attributed to spread of the neurolytic agent to the anterior roots. The authors provide evidence of spinal cord injury as a cause of lower extremity weakness in a patient after subarachnoid ethanol neurolysis.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Alcohol-Induced Disorders, Nervous System / chemically induced*
Ethanol / administration & dosage
Ethanol / adverse effects*
Fatal Outcome
Female
Humans
Injections, Spinal
Lung Neoplasms / complications
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Middle Aged
Muscle Weakness / chemically induced
Muscle Weakness / etiology
Pain, Intractable / etiology
Pain, Intractable / therapy*
Spinal Cord / drug effects
Spinal Cord / pathology
Spinal Cord Diseases / chemically induced*
Spinal Cord Diseases / diagnosis
Subarachnoid Space / drug effects*

Substances

Ethanol