Objective:

Identify medical conditions and therapies that could place a patient at risk of developing spinal cord compression that had not been otherwise noted to do so.

Background:

A 70 year old male with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) currently undergoing stimulation therapy with luspatercept presents with worsening bilateral leg weakness and urine retention. He had bilateral patella hyperreflexia, but absent achilles and plantar response bilaterally. MRI T spine was obtained, which showed extensive soft tissue masses in the epidural space compressing the spinal cord. He underwent T5-10 laminectomy, with biopsy confirmed extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH). 

Design/Methods:

NA

Results:

NA

Conclusions:

Cord compression from EMH has been reported in patients with thalassemia, but should be considered in other patients with myelopathic presentations who are at risk for EMH. Luspatercept could also be a contributing to EMH, and this is the first report leading to spinal cord compression to our knowledge.