Vascular Disease of the Spinal Cord

Vascular disease of the spinal cord is a relatively rare condition but can have serious repercussions for neurological function. Spinal cord infarction generally presents with sudden onset of myelopathy. It may result from many causes, including systemic hypotension, fibrocartilaginous embolization, or as a complication of aortic surgery and other rarer conditions. There are few acute interventions to change the course of the disease. Dural arteriovenous fistulas are more insidious and may cause gradual spinal cord dysfunction over many years before diagnosis. They are, however, amenable to surgical and endovascular repair. The rehabilitation outcomes of these conditions are variable and related primarily to the degree of initial deficit and the interval from onset to definitive treatment.