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ENDOVASCULAR NEUROSURGERY Paraplegia Paraplegia is a neurological condition characterized by the loss of ability to move the legs. It can have various causes. The most common one is injury at the level of the Thoracic or higher Lumbar spine which contain the nerves responsible for the motion of the legs. Other less frequent causes are compression of the cervical spinal cord by tumors or arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), hemorrhage in or around the spinal cord and finally degenerative diseases. A complete paraplegia can never improve. Paraparesis, which is an incomplete loss of strength in the legs can sometimes improve with time and physiotherapy. The longer a pressure on the spinal cord has remained untreated, the less probable is the recovery. Therefore, masses like tumors or AVMs of the spine causing neurological symptoms should be treated as soon as possible when discovered. Menu Page Diseases Page Home Page Page maintained by: Vasilis Katsaridis, MD