Article Text
Abstract
Background Paraplegia is a rare complication of spinal anesthesia.
Case presentation We report a case of a 68-year-old man who developed postoperative paraplegia and hypoesthesia after spinal anesthesia for an otherwise uncomplicated transurethral resection of the prostate. Acute transverse myelitis was diagnosed based on urgent MRI. A prior history of similar though less severe neurological symptoms after obinutuzumab treatment for follicular lymphoma suggested a potential causative role for obinutuzumab, a novel monoclonal antibody that has not been associated with such devastating neurological side effects yet. High-dose steroid treatment partially attenuated the symptoms, but debilitating hypoesthesia and motor deficit remained present 3 months postoperatively.
Conclusion The presented case warrants caution when performing neuraxial anesthesia in patients on monoclonal antibody therapies.
- injections
- spinal
- drug-related side effects and adverse reactions
- neurotoxicity syndromes
- postoperative complications