Spinal Cord Compression Secondary to Metastatic Sinonasal Undifferentiated Carcinoma

Sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma (SNUC) is a rare malignancy of the upper airways and anterior skull base that carries a poor prognosis. The tumor is known to be invasive into the surrounding structures of the skull base and brain. To date, there is only one existing case report documenting drop metastasis to the intradural extramedullary spinal cord. To the best of our knowledge, we present the second case of metastatic SNUC to the spine. This report describes a 59-year-old male with a history of head and neck SNUC who presented with thoracic back pain and bilateral lower extremity paresis. Neuroimaging demonstrated an extradural thoracic mass with severe spinal cord compression. The patient underwent thoracic laminectomy and fusion for decompression of the spinal cord and internal stabilization. The pathology returned as SNUC. The patient was subsequently lost to follow-up from our institution. Metastatic SNUC is rare. We discuss the relevant clinical imaging and review the literature. Such a malignancy portends a very poor prognosis.

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Spontaneous thoracic spinal subdural hematoma associated with fibromuscular dysplasia

Journal of Neurosurgery Spine ◽

10.3171/spi/2008/8/5/478 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 8 (5) ◽

pp. 478-481 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Sang-Dae Kim ◽

Je-On Park ◽

Se-Hoon Kim ◽

Young-Hen Lee ◽

Dong-Jun Lim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Spinal Cord ◽

Anticoagulant Therapy ◽

Spinal Cord Compression ◽

Subdural Hematoma ◽

Poor Prognosis ◽

Fibromuscular Dysplasia ◽

Cord Compression ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Thoracic Spinal ◽

Spinal Subdural Hematoma

✓Spontaneous spinal subdural hematoma (SDH) is an uncommon cause of acute spinal cord compression. When it does occur, however, it may have disastrous results and a poor prognosis. The nontraumatic acute spinal SDH usually results from a defect in a hemostatic mechanism (such as coagulopathy or the use of anticoagulant therapy) or from iatrogenic causes (such as spinal puncture). Fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) is a nonatherosclerotic systemic arteriopathy of unknown cause that typically affects the small and medium arteries in young to middle-aged women. The authors report on their experience with a patient with an acute spontaneous spinal SDH that occurred in conjunction with FMD.

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Biomarkers and performance status as predictors of 30-day mortality in malignant spinal cord compression (MSCC) Patients

Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice ◽

10.1017/s1460396920000989 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-4

Author(s):

Josie Cameron

Keyword(s):

Spinal Cord ◽

Mortality Rate ◽

Spinal Cord Compression ◽

Poor Prognosis ◽

Performance Status ◽

Palliative Radiotherapy ◽

Cord Compression ◽

Retrospective Audit ◽

Number Of Patients ◽

And Performance

Abstract Introduction: Malignant spinal cord compression (MSCC) is a serious condition requiring urgent palliative radiotherapy to alleviate symptoms and avoid permanent paralysis. The aim of this project was to analyse the 30-day mortality rate post-palliative radiotherapy for MSCC patients to identify if radiotherapy can be safely omitted or the fractionation reduced in the poor prognosis group (patients likely to die within 30 days) by biomarkers and performance status (PS). Methods: A retrospective audit was performed (July–December 2019) and data on treatment duration, date of death, biomarkers (C-reactive protein (CRP), albumin) and PS were collected using hospital patient management systems. Results: Hundred and one patients received palliative radiotherapy for MSCC in the 6-month period. The number of patients who died within 30 days was 17, representing 16·8% mortality rate. Rising CRP levels and poor PS indicated a poorer prognosis in this patient group. Conclusion: Monitoring biomarkers and PS as standard throughout patients’ treatment is recommended to assess disease progression. Worsening PS and high CRP is an indicator of poor prognosis and early death, and therefore omission of treatment or a single fraction of radiotherapy is recommended.

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Traumatic atlanto-occipital subluxation and cranial cervical block vertebrae in a Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)

Vlaams Diergeneeskundig Tijdschrift ◽

10.21825/vdt.v82i4.16698 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 82 (4) ◽

pp. 211-215

Author(s):

E. Fraga-Manteiga ◽

K. Eatwell ◽

S. Smith ◽

E. Mancinelli ◽

T. Schwarz

Keyword(s):

Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽

Computed Tomography ◽

Spinal Cord ◽

Magnetic Resonance ◽

Spinal Cord Compression ◽

Poor Prognosis ◽

Cord Compression ◽

Resonance Imaging ◽

Golden Eagle ◽

Aquila Chrysaetos

A Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) was evaluated for a balance/equilibrium disorder after suffering trauma due to a hard landing during fi tness training. Magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography demonstrated a chronic atlanto-occipital subluxation with craniodorsal displacement of the atlas (atlanto-occipital overlapping) causing dynamic brainstem and spinal cord compression and an old malunion fracture with fusion of C1 and C2. The bird was euthanized because of clinical deterioration and poor prognosis.

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