Acute Transverse Myelitis Following Spinal Anesthesia: A Case with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Abstract

Objective: Spinal anesthesia is a widely used and safe technique in surgical practice. However, although rare, it may cause serious neurological complications. One of these is acute transverse myelitis(ATM). Materials and Methods: A 45-year-old woman with a known diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) underwent a transobturatortape(TOT) procedure under spinal anesthesia. Results: Twenty-four hours after the operation, she developed sensory loss starting at the T8 level and urinary retention. Spinal MRI revealed no pathological findings, and cerebrospinal fluid analysis was normal. Based on the clinical evaluation, autoimmune-related transverse myelitis was considered. The patient was treated with intravenous methylprednisolone (1 g/day for 10 days). Following steroid therapy, her symptoms significantly regressed. Discussion and Conclusion: In this case report, the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment process of acute transverse myelitis developing after spinal anesthesia in a patient with SLE are discussed.

Keywords

• Spinal anesthesia
• transverse myelitis
• systemic lupus erythematosus
• neurologicalcomplication

Supporting Institution

No funding.

Ethical Statement

Written informed consent was obtained from the patient for the publication of this case report and any accompanying images.

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