American Journal of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Medicine and Surgery
Volume 30, Issue 5 , Pages 340-342, September 2009

Paraplegia after mastoidectomy under general anesthesia☆

  • Rafael Ortega, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Anesthesiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Department of Anesthesiology, Boston University School of Medicine, 88 East Newton Street, Boston, MA 02118, USA. Tel.: +1 617 638 6950; fax: +1 617 638 6959.
    • ,
  • Suzuko Suzuki, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Anesthesiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
    • ,
  • Pavan Sekhar, BA

      Affiliations

    • Department of Anesthesiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
    • ,
  • John R. Stram, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
    • ,
  • Sundara K. Rengasamy, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Anesthesiology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA

Received 3 March 2008 published online 09 March 2009.

Abstract 

We report a case of complete paraplegia after general anesthesia for a right tympanomastoidectomy without any apparent predisposing factors related to the surgical procedure or the anesthetic. The case raises the possibility that the combination of neck rotation and relative hypotension may precipitate paraplegia in patients with preexisting spinal chord pathology.

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☆ Financial Support: Department of Anesthesiology Boston University School of Medicine.

PII: S0196-0709(08)00117-8

doi:10.1016/j.amjoto.2008.06.002

American Journal of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Medicine and Surgery
Volume 30, Issue 5 , Pages 340-342, September 2009

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