FATAL SPINAL CORD INFARCTION CAUSED FIB RO CARTI LAGI N O US EMBOLIZATION OF ANTERIOR SPINAL

A fatal case of massive in|hrction of the cervical cord caused by fibrocartilaginous embolization of tim anterior spinal artery in a 22 year old woman is reported. The source of such emboli is believed to be intervertebl,'al disc material, but tim pathogenesis of this entity is obscure. The previously reported 10 cases are reviewed and tlm clinical and pathological fcatt, res sunmmrized, showing that tiffs unusual condition seems to affect females predominantly. Tim cervical cord is tim ntost comnton site of involvement. The importance of mnltiple sections fl'om various levels of the spinal cord and the application of special stains in order to determine the cause of spinal cord infarction are emphasized. Although tim clinical syndrome of spinal cord infarction due to mtterior spinal artery occlusion is well known and frequently described, there have been few clinicopathologic studies. ~-3 ht this report we describe an untlsttal variant of spinal cord inthrction caused by fibrocartilaginous embolization of the anterior spinal artery. Tim source of cmboli is believed to be the nucleus puiposus of intervertebral discs. It is hoped that an awareness of this lesion in tire investigation of fatal cases of spinal cord infarction may lead to the discovery of more cases and perhaps sited light on its pathogenesis.