Severe Transverse Myelitis After Ankle Surgery and Its Link to Lupus
Author Information
Author(s): Muacevic Alexander, Adler John R, Jordan Harrison, Sahni Sidharth, Nguyen Matthew, Moradi Michael, Mumtaz Shiraz, Johnson Leonard
Hypothesis
Can transverse myelitis be an initial presentation of systemic lupus erythematosus following surgery?
Conclusion
Transverse myelitis may be an initial presentation of systemic lupus erythematosus, and corticosteroid treatment should be considered in such cases.
Supporting Evidence
- Transverse myelitis is typically idiopathic or linked to autoimmune conditions.
- The patient showed improvement after receiving corticosteroid treatment.
- Positive anti-dsDNA antibodies indicated a diagnosis of lupus myelitis.
Takeaway
A 70-year-old woman developed severe back pain and leg weakness after ankle surgery, which turned out to be linked to lupus. Doctors should think about using steroids to help in similar cases.
Methodology
The case involved a 70-year-old female patient who underwent surgery and subsequently developed symptoms leading to a diagnosis of transverse myelitis and systemic lupus erythematosus.
Limitations
The study is based on a single case, limiting the generalizability of the findings.
Participant Demographics
One 70-year-old female patient.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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