The authors report the case of a 76-year-old man with a spinal dural arteriovenous fistula. The patient suffered from sudden repeated reversible paraplegia after spinal digital subtraction angiography as well as CT angiography. Neurotoxicity of contrast media (CM) is the most probable cause for this repeated short-lasting paraplegia. Intolerance to toxicity of CM to the vulnerable spinal cord is rare, and probably depends on the individual patient. This phenomenon is transient and can occur after both intraarterial and intravenous CM application.
Keywords: BBB = blood-brain barrier; CM = contrast media; CT angiography; CTA = CT angiography; DSA = digital subtraction angiography; MRC = Medical Research Council; complication; contrast media application; dAVF = dural arteriovenous fistula; digital subtraction angiography; paraplegia.