effect of hypertransfusion on extramedullary hematopoietic compression mass in thalassemia major: a case report

hereby we report a patient with thalassemia major having extradural cord compression at t3-t9 levels due to a mass of extramedullary hematopoiesis (emh) tissue, whose treatment was successful with hypertransfusion therapy alone. the patient was a 23-year-old man who had not received regular blood transfusion since two years before admission. he suffered from paraparesis with a history of progressive lower limb weakness for 2 months. mri of the spinal cord demonstrated thoracic extramedullary hematopoietic mass causing spinal cord compression. the patient demonstrated a significant response to hypertransfusion and improvement in the neurologic status started a few days after treatment. almost complete resolution of the mass was seen in spinal mri one week after hypertransfusion. hypertransfusion seems to be a useful method for treatment of spinal cord compression due to a hematopoietic mass. it may be used as the first line therapy.