Spinal stroke as a presentation of dissecting aneurysm of the aorta

ABSTRACT

A case of ischaemic spinal cord injury in a 70-year old patient is presented. Autopsy showed a DeBakey type 1 dissecting aneurysm of the thoraco-abdominal aorta with involvement of the intercostal and lumbar arteries on the left side. The zone of spinal cord infarction was extensive. The vascular anatomy of the spinal cord is reviewed, and its vulnerability to ischaemia is emphazied (AU)