Anaesthetic considerations in patients with transverse myelitis

Abstract

Transverse myelitis is an acute or subacute inflammatory disorder involving the spinal cord. Clinical signs are due to the involvement of the ascending and descending tracts in the transverse plane of the spinal cord. The most common cause is autoimmune. These patients may present with various clinical findings with which it is important for the anaesthesiologist to be familiar in order to manage such cases during the intraoperative and postoperative period. This report discusses issues relating to management of such cases.