Affiliations: Department of Pediatrics, Sainte-Justine's Hospital, University of Montreal, Montréal, Québec, Canada | Department of Medical Imaging, Sainte-Justine's Hospital, University of Montreal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
Abstract: There are very few reports describing paraplegia of spinal origin after cardiac arrest in adults and none in pediatrics. We report a case of spinal cord injury with spinal subdural hematoma after chest compressions. A 4-month-old male infant with a hypoplastic left ventricle underwent cardiac transplantation at the age of three months. Two weeks after transplant, an episode of asystole and ventricular fibrillation of unknown origin occurred. His resuscitation included a 10-minute period of chest compressions. After sedation was discontinued, the patient was found to be paraplegic. Spinal magnetic resonance imaging showed a subdural hematoma and a hemorrhagic medullary contusion extending from T4 to T10 with a subarachnoid hemorrhage extending from T10 to S2. Adequate compression to ensure support of circulation is life saving but pediatricians must be aware of the potential risk of spinal cord injury after chest compressions.