Delayed Paraplegia in an Adult Patient With Spinal Cord Injury without Radiographic Abnormality of Dorsal Spine: A Lesson Learned

Noncompressive myelopathy of lower dorsal spine secondary to trauma is a rare event. We report a case of delayed paraplegia in a patient with a history of road traffic accident. The X-ray of dorsolumbar spine did not show any abnormality. Magnetic resonance imaging of dorsolumbar spine was performed which showed the presence of central T2-weighted hyperintensities from D10–D11 to D12–L1 level. No associated bony injury was documented, and the integrity of the spinal canal was maintained. The patient was managed conservatively with bed rest, and steroids were given. However, the patient did not show any signs of improvement after 1 month of follow-up.