Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Anterior spinal artery syndrome
Introduction
Synonyms and keywords: Beck syndrome
Overview
Overview
Anterior spinal artery syndrome is ischemia or infarction of the spinal cord in the distribution of the anterior spinal artery, which supplies the ventral two-thirds of the spinal cord and medulla.
Causes
Causes
This condition is usually associated with atherosclerosis of the aorta and may result from dissection of an aortic aneurysm or rarely dissection of the anterior spinal artery.
Presentation
Presentation
Clinical features include weakness and loss of pain and temperature sensation below the level of injury, with relative sparing of position and vibratory sensation.[1]
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]