Abstract
A 36-year-old male developed a burst fracture of the L1 vertebra following a seizure. The patient experienced conus-cauda equina compression resulting in urinary retention and patchy sensory loss. An MRI of the spine revealed short tau inversion recovery (STIR) hyperintensity at L1 with 70% loss of vertebral body height, 8-mm posterior bony retropulsion into the spinal canal and T2-weighted hyperintensity in the cord, which is consistent with cord edema. A thorough physical exam and imaging is critical for immediate diagnosis of spine injuries to prevent grave neurological complications.
MeSH terms
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Adult
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Cauda Equina / diagnostic imaging
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Cauda Equina / injuries
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Decompression, Surgical / methods*
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Fractures, Compression / diagnosis*
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Fractures, Compression / etiology
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Fractures, Compression / surgery
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Humans
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Lumbar Vertebrae / injuries*
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Lumbar Vertebrae / pathology
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Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
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Male
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Postoperative Care / methods
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Rare Diseases
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Recovery of Function
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Risk Assessment
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Seizures / complications*
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Spinal Cord Compression / diagnosis*
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Spinal Cord Compression / etiology
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Spinal Cord Compression / surgery
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Spinal Fractures / diagnosis*
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Spinal Fractures / etiology
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Spinal Fractures / surgery
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Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods
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Treatment Outcome