Spinal cord tumors pose a risk of disability if not treated promptly.

Recently, the Neurosurgery Department (A7B) of Military Central Hospital 108 successfully detected and surgically removed a spinal cord tumor in the thoracic canal of a young female patient.

This is a difficult case; if not detected and treated promptly, it could lead to a very high risk of complete paralysis. Patient Tran T., 26 years old, from Nam Dinh , was admitted to the hospital with weakness in both legs, requiring assistance to walk (muscle strength 2/5), reduced sensation from the navel down to both legs, and complete loss of sensation from the knees down to the feet.

Illustrative image.

According to the patient's medical history, about half a month ago, both of the patient's legs began to show signs of sudden weakness and numbness after exercise.

Initially, the patient thought the pain was due to fatigue from excessive exercise and neglected to seek medical attention. Two weeks later, severe pain, numbness, and weakness in both legs began to appear, prompting the family to take the patient to the Central Military Hospital 108. Upon examination, an MRI scan revealed a tumor compressing the spinal cord. The patient was admitted to the hospital and surgery was planned for soon.

Immediately after the tumor was discovered, Dr. Nguyen Khac Hieu , Department of Neurosurgery (A7B), Central Military Hospital 108, stated that the lead surgeon and the surgical and anesthesia team successfully removed a spinal cord tumor in the thoracic segment T6T7 (1.5 x 2 cm) using microsurgical techniques.

The surgery lasted 3 hours, and the entire tumor was completely removed. After the surgery, the patient regained good mobility in both legs, sensation from the navel down to the feet returned to normal, and the patient regained sensation from the knee down. On the 5th day after the surgery, the patient was able to walk gently.

After treatment at the Neurosurgery Department A7B, the patient recovered quickly and showed significant improvement, and was discharged after one week of treatment.

This was a difficult case; the clinical progression was acute and easily mistaken for other conditions. Although the tumor was not large, it was located in the thoracic spinal cord, a narrow area of the spinal canal. Even a minor surgical intervention could damage the spinal cord, and if not detected and treated promptly, the risk of complete paralysis was very high.

Spinal cord tumors are dangerous diseases, often presenting with vague initial clinical symptoms that can be easily confused with other common musculoskeletal disorders. Symptoms only appear when the tumor compresses the spinal cord or nerve roots. If left untreated, it can cause paralysis and, more dangerously, can be life-threatening.

Dr. Nguyen Khac Hieu, Department of Neurosurgery (A7B), shared that when people notice symptoms such as back pain, numbness, or weakness in the limbs, they should immediately go to a specialized medical facility with adequate diagnostic equipment for timely examination and treatment, to avoid the disease progressing and causing serious complications.

In addition, it is necessary to proactively protect one's health by raising awareness about diseases, adopting a healthy lifestyle, and having regular health checkups.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/u-tuy-song-nguy-co-tan-phe-neu-khong-duoc-dieu-tri-kip-thoi-d223072.html