INVOLVEMENT OF THE SPINAL CORD IN OCCLUSION OF THE CORONARY VESSELS

Abstract

INVOLVEMENT of the spinal cord in cases of acute occlusion of the coronary arteries is rare. For this reason, we report an instance of acute paraplegia and a transverse spinal cord syndrome following coronary occlusion, together with the pathologic changes in the spinal cord. Several cases of damage to the spinal cord secondary to heart disease have been reported,¹ but the lesions have chiefly been due to infected emboli in patients with bacterial endocarditis. That changes in the spinal cord following occlusion of the coronary vessels may occur, however, even without emboli or thrombus formation, was postulated by Aring.² He stated that vascular changes may be present in the brain or spinal cord and manifest no symptoms until the addition of a cardiovascular disorder, the latter further prejudicing the circulation to the local areas supplied by the already diseased vessels. The vessels evidently perform their function, even though