CAUDA EQUINA SYNDROME DUE TO BLOOD-CLOTTING AFTER USING COVID-19 VACCINE: A RARE CASE REPORT

Abstract

Background: The Covid-19 epidemic has brought about severe consequences to human lives and societies worldwide. While it is undeniable that vaccines bring great benefits in fighting Covid-19, there are still concerns regarding complications from these urgently circulated vaccines, one of them being blood coagulation. Cauda equina is a rare acute spinal pathology capable of leaving extreme sequelae and even less common when caused by intradural blood-clotting. Case presentation: We would like to introduce a 52-year-old male patient with no medical history. 10 days after receiving his second AstraZeneca dose suddenly experienced paralysis in his left leg, urinary retention, and acute lower back pain. The patient underwent treatment at a local hospital for 07 days and was later transferred to our hospital with no improvements. He received emergency laminectomy of L2, remove intradural blood-clotting, and decompression. Although no pain was retained post-suregery and the patient attended physiotherapy, there was no significant progress in urinary functions as well as his left leg mobility. Discussion and conclusion: Cauda equina due to intradural blood-clotting is rare but, just like other conditions, requires urgent treatment or will otherwise leave severe consequences. Though vaccines’ benefits far outweigh their risks, monitorial and preventive measures should be taken to treat postinoculation blood-clotting.