Progressive flaccid paraparesis with albuminocytologic dissociation: It's not always Gullain-Barre syndrome.

CONTEXT: Spondylodiscitis, or vertebral osteomyelitis, is an unusual infection of the vertebral bodies and intervertebral discs that can occasionally present with neurological signs.

FINDINGS: We present a patient with subacute flaccid paraparesis with associated albuminocytologic dissociation who was eventually diagnosed with spondylodiscitis.

CONCLUSION

The case presented depicts a diagnostic difficulty encountered in clinical practice: Albuminocytologic dissociation in CSF is not always attributed to Guillain-Barre syndrome and other possible causes such as obstructive spinal cord lesions must always be considered.