ABSTRACT NUMBER: ESOC2026YS146 MEDULLAR INFARCTS, A RARE ETIOLOGY OF STROKE

Abstract Background and aims Introduction: Accounting for 1% of all central nervous system infarcts, spinal cord infarcts are a rare condition that is relatively difficult to diagnose and has a poor functional prognosis. There is little data in the literature on their specific management, which is currently modelled on that for cerebral infarcts. Methods We report on the observations of four patients with sudden-onset transverse myelitis. The patients underwent a thorough clinical examination, radiological investigation and exhaustive aetiological investigation. We collected data on four patients aged 43, 50, 70 and 78, including one woman and three men, admitted to the neurology department of Constantine University Hospital with sudden transverse myelitis. Spinal MRI scans revealed T2 hypersignals in the spinal artery and Adamkiewicz artery territories. One of the patients arrived within 4.5 hours and underwent thrombolysis with alteplase but without success. The aetiologies identified were thoracic aortic dissection in three cases and an ulcerated pedunculated thrombus of the abdominal aorta in the fourth. Secondary prevention was based on antithrombotic treatment with control of cardiovascular risk factors, but motor recovery was poor. Conclusion sSpinal cord infarcts are rare but serious, with a mortality rate of 10 to 20% and severe functional sequelae in more than half of patients, and our data are consistent with the data in the literature. Conflict of interest nothing to disclose