ACUTE NONTRAUMATIC MYELOPATHIES - REVIEW OF 36 CASES

The objective of this investigation was to know the features of acute nontraumatic myelopathies in our area, given the paucity of reported d ata. Therefore, 36 episodes of myelitis observed during a 15-year peri od at Hospital Nacional de Paraplejicos were retrospectively reviewed. Cases associated with multiple sclerosis were excluded. On etiologica l basis these disordes were classified in vascular (in its turn subcla ssified in surgical and non-surgical) and inflammatory myelopathies. T he functional prognosis was Door. Two patients with non-surgical vascu lar myelitis suffered a second episode of spinal ischemia which deteri orated their conditions. The usefulness of NMR seems to be limited.