26th August 2024

You review a 71-year-old man on the medical ward with back and leg pain. He describes acute onset

You review a 71-year-old man on the medical ward with back and leg pain. He describes acute onset of back pain earlier this afternoon with pain shooting down the back of his right leg into his foot. On examination, he is unable to extend his right leg, and plantarflexion and toe flexion are weak. He has decreased sensation over the back of his right leg and in the sole and lateral border of his foot. Examination of the left leg is normal. His ankle jerk is diminished on the right side, reflexes are otherwise normal.

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