Cervical anterior spinal artery syndrome associated with cardiopulmonary arrest.

Nontraumatic spinal cord ischemia is uncommon, especially when the cervical cord is involved. We present an elderly man who sustained acute occlusion of the anterior spinal artery at a high cervical level. This was followed by a respiratory arrest due to the paralysis of the diaphragm and chest wall muscles. A review of the vascular supply to the cord and of nontraumatic ischemic myelopathy is provided.