I can't move my legs
On coming around from having an abdominal aortic aneurysm repair a patient cannot move his legs and has a sensory level at approximately T4. What is the diagnosis?
A 54-year-old man presents in A&E with severe abdominal pain. He is found to have a leaking abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and undergoes emergency surgery. On coming around from the anaesthetic post-surgery, he cannot move his legs and has a sensory level at approximately T4.
Questions
What other information do you need clinically to make a bedside diagnosis?
What is the most likely diagnosis?
What anatomical factor explains a sensory level at T4?
What is his prognosis?