Paraplegia after lumbar puncture. In an infant with previously undiagnosed hemophilia A. Treatment and peri-operative considerations.

We report a 3-month-old infant who became paraplegic from an epidural hematoma caused by a diagnostic lumbar puncture for work-up of sepsis. The differential diagnosis of the cause of paraplegia was epidural hematoma formation versus spinal abscess. Hemophilia A was diagnosed when coagulation studies were discovered to be abnormal, and non-contrast CT scan revealed an epidural mass with spinal cord displacement. The coagulopathy was rapidly corrected preoperatively with an infusion of cryoprecipitate. A medially limited bilateral T8-L4 laminectomy allowed complete evacuation of the hematoma with maximum preservation of normal bone tissue, but no clinical improvement resulted. Coagulopathy should be highly suspect in an infant who becomes paraplegic after lumbar puncture. The coagulopathy may be rapidly corrected with deficient factor replacement, allowing major spinal surgery to be performed safely.