Paralyzed by Relief: A Rare Case of Transient Quadriplegia Following Cervical Epidural Injection

Friday, November 14, 2025

4:10 PM - 4:18 PM CT

Location: Griffin Hall - Screen 08

Introduction: Cervical epidural steroid injections (CESI) are commonly utilized for managing neck pain related to cervical degenerative conditions, with significant efficacy demonstrated in prior studies. Specifically, 41% of patients experience greater than 90% pain relief. (1) Although considered safe, with over 200,000 CESIs performed annually in the United States, (2) rare but severe complications such as intramedullary spinal cord injuries resulting in paralysis have been reported in only four documented cases. (3-5)

Submitting Author(s)

DM

Devin Monroe, D.O.

Resident
West Virginia University
MORGANTOWN, West Virginia, United States

Co-Author(s)

DJ

Daniel Jones, M.D.

Resident
West Virginia University, West Virginia, United States

JM

Joseph McGuire, M.D.

Resident
West Virginia University, West Virginia, United States

RV

Richard Vaglienti, MD, MBA, FASA

Associate Professor, Medical Director Center for Integrative Pain Management
West Virginia University Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Chronic Pain Medicine, United States