This study reports the case of a 35-year-old man with beta-thalassemia intermedia, with irregular treatment, who presented progressive paresthesia mainly affecting the left side and strength loss in the lower limbs for five months. Besides, he developed difficulty to ambulate and urinate. MRI (Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4) showed vertebral canal stenosis with spinal cord compression. This finding illustrates a rare complication of thalassemia, an extramedullary hematopoietic center due to ineffective erythropoiesis, causing vertebral bone hyperplasia11. Duque SG, Jureschke FR, Leal RG. Reversible paraparesis secondary to spinal cord compression in a patient with ß-thalassaemia. Neurologia. 2019 May;34(4): 270-2.,44. Ruo Redda MG, Allis S, Reali A, Bartoncini S, Roggero S, Anglesio SM, et al. Complete recovery from paraparesis in spinal cord compression due to extramedullary haemopoiesis in beta-thalassaemia by emergency radiation therapy. Intern Med J. 2014 Apr;44(4):409-12. https://doi.org/10.1111/imj.12386
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/...
,55. Yathiraj PH, Singh A, Vidyasagar S, Varma M, Mamidipudi V. Excellent and durable response to radiotherapy in a rare case of spinal cord compression due to extra-medullary hematopoiesis in β-thalassemia intermedia: case report and clinicoradiological correlation. Ann Palliat Med. 2017 Apr;6(2):195-9. https://doi.org/10.21037/apm.2016.12.05
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.21037...
. Given the substantial number of segments affected, surgical procedures were contraindicated based upon hemorrhage risk. Radiotherapy was performed with subsequent strength recovery 22. Fareed S, Soliman AT, De Sanctis V, Kohla S, Soliman D, Khirfan D, et al. Spinal cord compression secondary to extramedullary hematopoiesis: A rareness in a young adult with thalassemia major. Acta Biomed. 2017 Aug;88(2):237-42. https://doi.org/10.23750/abm.v88i2.6221
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.23750...
,33. Moncef B, Hafedh J. Management of spinal cord compression caused by extramedullary hematopoiesis in beta-thalassemia. Intern Med. 2008;47(12):1125-8. https://doi.org/10.2169/internalmedicine.47.0890
https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.2169/...
.
T1-weighted axial MRI with contrast showing moderate contrast enhancement of the epidural masses. Ribs and the vertebral bodies are also enhanced.
T2-weighted axial MRI showing severe spinal cord compression (the black arrows indicate the ribs and the white one indicates the vertebral bone).
T1-weighted sagittal MRI showing moderate and heterogeneous enhancement of epidural masses.
References
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1Duque SG, Jureschke FR, Leal RG. Reversible paraparesis secondary to spinal cord compression in a patient with ß-thalassaemia. Neurologia. 2019 May;34(4): 270-2.
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2Fareed S, Soliman AT, De Sanctis V, Kohla S, Soliman D, Khirfan D, et al. Spinal cord compression secondary to extramedullary hematopoiesis: A rareness in a young adult with thalassemia major. Acta Biomed. 2017 Aug;88(2):237-42. https://doi.org/10.23750/abm.v88i2.6221
» https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.23750/abm.v88i2.6221 -
3Moncef B, Hafedh J. Management of spinal cord compression caused by extramedullary hematopoiesis in beta-thalassemia. Intern Med. 2008;47(12):1125-8. https://doi.org/10.2169/internalmedicine.47.0890
» https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.2169/internalmedicine.47.0890 -
4Ruo Redda MG, Allis S, Reali A, Bartoncini S, Roggero S, Anglesio SM, et al. Complete recovery from paraparesis in spinal cord compression due to extramedullary haemopoiesis in beta-thalassaemia by emergency radiation therapy. Intern Med J. 2014 Apr;44(4):409-12. https://doi.org/10.1111/imj.12386
» https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/imj.12386 -
5Yathiraj PH, Singh A, Vidyasagar S, Varma M, Mamidipudi V. Excellent and durable response to radiotherapy in a rare case of spinal cord compression due to extra-medullary hematopoiesis in β-thalassemia intermedia: case report and clinicoradiological correlation. Ann Palliat Med. 2017 Apr;6(2):195-9. https://doi.org/10.21037/apm.2016.12.05
» https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.21037/apm.2016.12.05
Publication Dates
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Publication in this collection
26 Oct 2020 -
Date of issue
Oct 2020
History
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Reviewed
23 Mar 2020 -
Received
05 May 2020 -
Accepted
08 May 2020