Non-traumatic acute paraplegia caused by cervical disc herniation in a patient with sleep apnoea

Description: A 57-year-old man with obstructive sleep apnoea presented with acute progression of myelopathy into paraplegia resulting from cervical disc herniation at C4-C5 and C5-C6 levels. There was no associated history of trauma. Rapid progress to paraplegia from non-traumatic cervical disc herniation rarely occurs. Diagnostic and treatment modalities are discussed. The possible relationship between cervical myelopathy and sleep apnoea is also discussed.
Non-traumatic acute paraplegia caused by cervical disc herniation in a patient with sleep apnoea. Goh HK, Li YH. Singapore Med J. 2004 May;45(5):235-8.