Case report: “an unexpected origin of coma in a young adult”

We report a peculiar case of acute non-traumatic coma due to neuromuscular hypoventilation syndrome caused by a non-traumatic spinal cord injury (NTSCI). A 21-year-old patient presented to the emergency room complaining of sudden onset weakness in his lower limbs and shortness of breath. While in th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of emergency medicine 2021-11, Vol.14 (1), p.1-6, Article 70
Main Authors: Chandrikasing, Ranjana, Ramnarain, Sudeshkoemar, Bansie, Rakesh, Yang, Harvey, Ponssen, Huibert, Ramdhani, Navin
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acidosis
Angiology
Carbon dioxide narcosis
Cardiology
Case Report
Case reports
Coma
Emergency medical care
Emergency Medicine
Inflammatory diseases
Internal Medicine
Longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Neurological disorders
Non-traumatic quadriplegia
Paralysis
Pediatrics
Respiratory distress syndrome
Spinal cord
Spinal cord injuries
Young adults
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Summary:We report a peculiar case of acute non-traumatic coma due to neuromuscular hypoventilation syndrome caused by a non-traumatic spinal cord injury (NTSCI). A 21-year-old patient presented to the emergency room complaining of sudden onset weakness in his lower limbs and shortness of breath. While in the ER, he briefly became comatose and labs revealed an acute respiratory acidosis. Detailed neurologic examination ultimately revealed upper motor neuron signs and quadriplegia. He was ultimately diagnosed with a non-traumatic spinal cord injury, in particular, a cervical transverse myelitis which had caused acute diaphragmatic weakness. Although a very rare cause of coma, emergency medicine physicians need to be aware of transverse myelitis, a disorder that may result in rapidly progressive neurologic decline and is treated with immunomodulation.
ISSN:1865-1372
1865-1380
DOI:10.1186/s12245-021-00390-5