Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat paralyzed after lumbosacral epidural injection at 5 months
By Otero, Pablo E et al.·Published in Veterinary anaesthesia and analgesia·2025·Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Management·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Spinal cord injury in a 5 month old cat after single-shot lumbosacral epidural injection.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 5-month-old Domestic Short Hair cat developed severe paralysis in its back legs after receiving a lumbosacral epidural injection for pain management during surgery. Although the injection was performed without immediate issues, the cat showed no improvement over six weeks and was eventually euthanized. A necropsy revealed that the paralysis was caused by a spinal cord injury from the needle used during the injection. This case highlights the potential risks of spinal cord injury associated with epidural injections in cats.
People also search for: cat back leg paralysis · cat epidural injection risks · cat surgery complications · cat spinal cord injury treatment
Abstract
This report presents the anatomical and histopathological findings observed in a 5 month old Domestic Short Hair cat euthanized owing to long-lasting pelvic limb paralysis. Paralysis occurred after a lumbosacral epidural injection for perioperative pain management during femoral fracture repair. A lumbosacral epidural injection was performed according to established veterinary recommendations, with no immediate complications noted during surgery. On postoperative examinations, the cat had severe pelvic limb neurological deficits, which did not improve over the 6 week follow-up period. Necropsy revealed a traumatic spinal cord injury attributed to needle insertion. Histopathological examination revealed reactive gliosis, axonal degeneration and fibroblasts adjacent to the needle track, significantly altering its architecture. This report underlines the potential risks of spinal cord injury during epidural injections at spinal levels containing the spinal cord. Although there is considerable worldwide experience with lumbosacral epidurals in cats, further studies are needed to better define the risks associated with this procedure, considering anatomical and developmental differences in this species.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39986919/