TRANSIENT PARAPLEGIA FOLLOWING ALCOHOL CELIAC PLEXUS BLOCK

Background and Objectives. A pancreatic cancer patient developing tran sient paraplegia compatible with spinal cord ischemia, following alcoh ol celiac plexus neurolysis, is described. Methods. A 58-year-old man with metastatic pancreatic cancer underwent celiac (deep splanchnic) a lcohol neurolysis for management of severe epigastric and midback pain . In spite of apparently adequate needle position, he developed transi ent paraplegia consistent with anterior spinal artery syndrome. Result s. The clinical findings suggest ischemia of the anterior spinal cord with complete motor and sensory paralysis to a T8 spinal cord level re sulting from an anterior spinal artery syndrome. Conclusions. The caus e of the limited bilateral transient paralysis following celiac plexus block in this patient may involve ischemia of the spinal cord associa ted with reversible arterial spasm following the injection of ethanol solution.