The prognosis for independent breathing for patients with lesions above
C4 is poor, especially if they do not breathe during the first 24 hours
cord infarcts are rare. They usually occur in newborns with umbilical
artery catheterization in whom the catheter tip is placed too high in
the umbilical artery. They rarely occur in premature neonates without
an apparent predisposing problem. Placing the tip of the catheter at or
above T10 and T12 may lead to obstruction of the artery of Adamkiewicz.
This artery is the major segmental artery of the spinal cord. Spinal infarct
due to obstruction of the artery of Adamkiewicz initially produces generalized
hypotonia with decreased dynamic tone followed by spastic paraparesis
as a result of damage to the corticospinal fibers destined to innervate
the lumbosacral motor neurons.