What Researchers Did
Researchers reported an unusual case of spinal cord decompression sickness presenting as a complete Brown-Sequard syndrome in a 49-year-old woman.
What They Found
Initial MRI revealed increased signal intensity in the left cervical cord at C2-C3, while a second MRI 10 days later showed signal abnormalities consistent with an infarction in the posterior spinal artery territory. After two weeks of intensive hyperbaric oxygen therapy, the clinical outcome was initially poor, but at six months post-injury, her neurological condition greatly improved, with only slight proprioception impairment remaining.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
This case highlights the potential for severe neurological manifestations like Brown-Sequard syndrome in decompression sickness, emphasizing the importance of prompt diagnosis and treatment. While initial recovery may be slow, significant long-term improvement is possible with persistent therapy.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
As a single case report, the findings of this study cannot be generalized to a broader patient population.