Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and management strategies of spinal infarction (SCI) combined with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Methods We report a case of SCI induced by cardiopulmonary arrest in a patient admitted to the General Hospital of Southern Theater Command in June 2021. A review of the relevant literature published in PubMed and CNKI from January 2014 to March 2024, was conducted to summarize the etiology, features, and treatment approaches for SCI. Results The patient presented with clinical features of quadriplegia accompanied by paresthesia, lumbar and cervical pain with paresthesia, dysphagia, dysphonia, and urinary and fecal incontinence. Spinal MRI revealed abnormal signals in the anterior and lateral columns at the C₂-T₁ spinal level, with no enhancement observed in contrast-enhanced scan. The patient was diagnosed as SCI combined with HIE, and was treated with antiplatelet therapy and rehabilitation. Literature review revealed that SCI is a rare central nervous system disease with multiple causes, often related to aortic surgery or pathology, presenting with segmental sensory disturbances among other clinical manifestations. MRI plays a significant role in its diagnosis, and there is currently no specific effective treatment available. Conclusions SCI has a sudden onset and is often insidious, frequently accompanying other diseases, leading to a high risk of misdiagnosis. In this case, SCI was considered to be caused by low blood pressure and vertebral artery tenuity. Clinical manifestations include paraplegia at the lesion level along with back/neck pain or limb paresthesia. Diagnosis primarily relies on MRI imaging while treatment involves secondary stroke prevention measures, rehabilitation training, complication prevention strategies as well as hyperbaric oxygen therapy.