Acute thoracic myelopathy after a traumatic episode in a patient with neurofibromatosis associated with sharply angular scoliosis: a case report.

Abstract

We treated a 16-year-old boy with acute thoracic myelopathy due to sharply angular scoliosis. The patient underwent posterior decompression and posterior spinal fusion using Luque spinal segmental instrumentation. Postoperatively, spasticity increased, and voluntary movement of the lower extremities disappeared. The patient could walk without assistive devices 5 months postoperatively. As pseudarthrosis at the posterior fusion site was suspected, anterior spinal fusion was performed using a fibular bone strut. His neurologic deficits were completely alleviated, and bony union was obtained. In our case, paraparesis followed relatively mild trauma because the spinal cord was predisposed to injury by continuous mechanical compression, although the cause of the severe temporary deficits following the first operation was not identified.