Autonomic dysreflexia associated with Charcot spine following spinal cord injury: a case report and literature review

We report the case of a 50-year-old man presenting symptoms of autonomic dysreflexia associated with Charcot spine following complete C8 spinal cord injury. After posterior lumbar interbody fusion of L2/3 with simultaneous posterior instrumentation from L1 to L5, the patient recovered from the symptoms of autonomic dysreflexia. Although the patient began to faint when he sat up and transferred after surgery, it began to be resolved by continuous urinary catheterization, setting a limit to activity and prescription of alpha-, beta-stimulants. Within a few weeks after performing these treatment strategies, he could return to active wheelchair life, and no recurrence of any symptoms was noted at the 6-year follow-up. Although there are only a small number of cases with Charcot spine presenting autonomic dysreflexia, surgical stabilization of the affected lesion for patients with this condition should be recommended.