27/10/2024 Flashcards
What nerve roots are affected in erbs palsy?
C5 and C6
What causes erbs palsy?
Usually birthing related e.g. breech or shoulder dystocia
Sx of erb’s palsy?
Waiters tip appearance - as issues with abduction, external rotation, elbow flexion, supination and wrist extension
Winged scapula
Which nerve roots are affected in Klumpke’s paresis?
C8 and T1
What can cause klumpke’s paresis?
Birth trauma
Traction injuries e.g. pulling a child’s arm
Pancoast tumours
Cervical rib
Sx of klumpke’s paresis?
Claw hand and wasting of hand muscles - due to weak intrinsic hand muscles
Hand is typically held supinated
Sensory loss in medial forearm and arm - due to C8 and T1 dermatomes
prognosis of erbs palsy
Usually resolves completely & spontaneously in first year of life - recovery begins in first month of life
prognosis of klumpke paresis?
Usually resolves by 6 months
Usually requires some PT
Contraception considerations in a pt with hypertension?
Oestrogen can increase bp further
If hypertension is adequately controlled its 2 for progesterone injectable and 3 for CHC
If systolic is >140 or diastolic >90 its UKMEC 3 for CHC
If systolic is >=160 or diastolic >=100 its UKMEC 2 for progesterone injectable and 4 for CHC
IUD, IUS, implant or POP are good options!
When a pt has menopause symptoms how long should the woman use contraception?
12 months after the last period in women > 50 years
24 months after the last period in women < 50 years
When is a woman offered sequential combined HRT?
If you have menopause Sx but still have periods
E.g. monthly HRT where you take oestrogen every day and progesterone alongside it for the last 10-14 days of the menstrual cycle every month
(Oestrogen helps manage menopause Sx by replenishing that hormone level, the progesterone is meant to represent the luteak phase where the body naturally produces progesterone and this is important to protect the endometrium from thickening too much due to the continuous oestrogen exposure. Stopping the progesterone will then cause bleed.)
Outline motor response for GCS?
- Obeys commands
- Localises to pain
- Withdraws from pain
- Abnormal flexion to pain (decorticate posture)
- Extending to pain
- None
(You can remember it as In Out shake it all about… arm going in towards pain and then out away from pain. Arm then goes in as you flex and then out as you extend)
Sx of third nerve palsy?
Eye down and out
Ptosis
Mydriasis can occur
Causes of a third nerve palsy?
DM
Vasculitis e.g. temporal arthritis and SLE
It can be a false localising sign due to uncal herniation through the tentorium if raised ICP
Posterior communicating artery aneurysm
Cavernous sinus thrombosis
Webers syndrome
Amyloid and MS
How does a posterior communicating artery aneurysm present?
Third nerve palsy that is painful!
Severe headache
Visual acuity loss
What imaging should be done for a suspected posterior communicating artery aneurysm?
A CT angiography
Explain the term surgical and medical third nerve palsy?
A surgical third nerve palsy is one which causes ipsilateral pupil dilation. This is because the parasympathetic fibres are located superficially on CN3 so they are more suspectible to compression. E.g. posterior communicating artery aneurysm
Medical third nerve palsies are when there is no Mydriasis and are therefore more likely due to microvascular infarction within the nerve fibres e.g. DM, temporal arthritis, SLE
Features of neurogenic claudication versus vascular claudication?
Neurogenic claudication occurs with exercise but is not immediately relived by rest
Worsens with extension e.g. descending stairs
Typically manifests more proximally (thigh or buttock)
Occurs in the absence of vascular risk factors
Causes of raised ICP?
SOL
Hydrocephalus
Venous sinus thrombosis
Idiopathic intracranial hypertension
Causes of provoked seizures?
Hypoxia
Hypoglycaemia
Alcohol withdrawal
Uraemia and hepatic failure
Drugs - TCAs, macrolides, Tramadol
Raised ICP
Encephalitis
Acute stroke
How to test for an S1 nerve palsy?
Test for power of foot eversion and ankle plantarflexion
Features of cavernous sinus thrombosis?
Periorbital swelling
Exophthalmos
Conjunctival chemosis
Sharp severe pain in eye and forehead - ophthalmic division of V
Cranial nerve palsies - III, IV, VI
Diplopia
Fevers
Outline layers of scalp?
Skin
Dense connective tissue
Epicranial apnoeurosis
Loose areolar connective tissue
Periosteum
Outline layers of meninges?
Dura
Arachnoid
Pia
Where does blood accumulate in an extradural Haematoma?
Between the skull and periosteal layer of the dura mater
Why are extradural haematomas often in the temporal region?
since the thin skull at the pterion overlies the middle meningeal artery and is therefore vulnerable to injury.
Imaging findings in an extradural haematoma?
Biconvex hyperdense collection around the surface of the brain surface by the suture lines