[Paraplegia due to traumatic dissection of the aorta: a case report]

Non-penetrating injuries have become one of the leading causes of death as the number of accidents involving motor vehicles iscreases every day. Dissection of the descending thoracic aorta is the most dangerous injury in trauma surgeries and because of its numerous clinical presentations it mimics various medical and surgical conditions. Paraplegia is one of its rare presentations and has been reported in only 0.3% of cases. Distinguishing this condition from other common traumatic lesions with paraplegia is very important as the treatment differs greatly. In this article, a case of paraplegia due to traumatic aortic dissection is presented