A rare case of Brown-Sequard syndrome caused by cervical disc herniation: a case report

Brown-Sequard syndrome is a rare neurological disorder characterized by ipsilateral motor paralysis caused by a lesion through corticospinal tract and contralateral loss of pain and temperature sensation due to the involvement of spinothalamic tract. Cervical disc herniation has been reported to be a rare cause of Brown-Séquard's syndrome. This paper aims to report a case of Brown-Sequard syndrome that occurred in a patient suffering from CHD. In this case, using a rapid and urgent intervention we could prevent permanent neurologic deficit in the patient. Case: A 56-year-old woman complained about a sudden paresis in her right leg lasting for 4 days. Her pain was progressively worsening until she couldn’t walk without assistance. There was no history of trauma in the neck. Neurological examinations revealed right side spastic hemi-paresis as well as loss of pain and temperature sensation below T4 dermatome in the left side. The case was diagnosed as Brown-Sequard syndrome and cervical magnetic resonance imaging scan showed a disc herniation at C5/C6 and C6/C7 levels. Surgery was performed via anterior cervical microdiscectomy and fusion. After a 2-month period of follow-up, neurological assessments showed that motor and sensory functions of the patient returned to the normal condition. Although cervical disc herniation as a cause of Brown-Sequard syndrome is relatively rare, early diagnosis accompanied by an urgent treatment can prevent neurological complications in such cases.