vitamin-k-semiquinone-radical and Paralysis

A 71-year-old woman on warfarin (2.5 mg daily) developed severe low back pain with reduced touch sensation and weakness of the lower limbs that progressed to complete paralysis within 28 to 30 hours. Imaging revealed bleeding at the D4 through D11 level, however the patient refused emergency laminectomy. No recovery was observed and the patient was discharged to a rehabilitation facility. Only few other cases of hematomyelia linked to anticoagulant therapy have been reported. Early diagnosis, appropriate management and immediate intervention are needed to prevent irreversible neurological sequelae. The elusive clinical features at presentation may cause an important diagnostic delay.

Topics: Aged; Anticoagulants; Antifibrinolytic Agents; Delayed Diagnosis; Female; Humans; Low Back Pain; Paralysis; Plasma; Spinal Cord Vascular Diseases; Vitamin K; Warfarin

Topics: Female; Femoral Nerve; Humans; Hypoprothrombinemias; Leg; Male; Middle Aged; Myocardial Infarction; Paralysis; Phenindione; Prothrombin Time; Sciatic Nerve; Vitamin K

Topics: Animals; Cytochromes; Electromyography; Paralysis; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases; Pharmacology; Rabbits; Research; Vasodilator Agents; Vitamin A; Vitamin K; Vitamins

Topics: Avitaminosis; Folic Acid; Humans; Neuralgia; Paralysis; Sciatica; Thiamine; Vitamin A; Vitamin B Complex; Vitamin K; Vitamins