Beth - Week 8 - Exam 3 Flashcards
what are the 3 phases of SCI?
Acute Phase, Rehab Phase, Chronic Phase
what population of people are most likely to have an SCI?
males ages 15 - 35 account for >50%
> 10% of patient over 60 years of age get SCI, what contributes to this?
falls, osteoporosis, less likely to be active → less strong
what are the risk factors (associated cause) of SCI?
- motor vehicle crashes (40-50%)
- falls (30%)
- violence (15%) → in large urban areas, gunshot wounds may surpass falls
- sports injuries (10%)
what are the three classifications of spinal cord injuries?
- mechanism of injury
- level of injury - skeletal and neurologic
- completeness or degree of injury test
what are the 5 different mechanisms of injury?
- hyperextension
- hyperflexion
- compression
- flexion
- rotation: most unstable d/t torn ligaments
which mechanism of injury can be added to another?
rotation
what is the main characteristic of an initial spinal cord injury?
AXONS disrupted
what are the two ways that an initial SCI can occur?
- cord compression
- penetrating injury causing tearing or transection
what are the different ways that the cord can be compressed?
- by bone displacement
- interruption of blood supply (d/t hematoma)
- pulling or stretching on the cord
what are the different types of penetrating injuries?
- gunshot → all tissue around GSW is injured/exploded
- stab wound
what is a secondary injury?
ongoing, progressive damage; extent and prognosis for recovery are determined at least 72 hrs or more after an injury
T/F extent and prognosis for recovery are determined at least 72 hrs or more after an injury
TRUE
what are the 5 secondary injuries of a SCI that can occur? *test
- hemorrhage
- edema (bad in spine → end up w/ ischemia/death
- free radical formation
- calcium influx
- ischemia → death
what are the three different levels of injury?
cervical
thoracic
lumbar
what are the common sites of a SCI?
C5-6 and T12-L1
what is a skeletal level injury?
injury is at the vertebral level, where there is most damage to vertebral bones and ligaments
ex. C6 SCI = injury at the 6th vertebral level
what is a neurologic level injury?
lowest segment of spinal cord with normal sensory and motor function on both sides of the body
C4/C5 ____ is _____
diaphragm is alive
what does the phrenic nerve do?
innervates C3-C5 → diaphragm
how is the classification of injury decided? (degree of injury) test
according to the degree of loss of motor and sensory function BELOW the level of inury
the degree of sensory and motor loss varies depending on what two things?
- level of lesion or injury
- specific nerve tracts damaged and those spared
what are the two categories for degree of injury?
complete and incomplete
what is a complete SCI consist of?
- loss of voluntary movement/sensation below the injury
- reflex activity below level of lesion may return after spinal shock resolves
- worse prognosis for recovery
what does an incomplete SCI consist of?
- varying degrees of motor/sensory loss below the level of injury
- central, lateral, posterior injury
what are the 5 types of incomplete SCIs?
- central cord
- brown-sequard
- anterior cord
- cauda equina
- conus medullaris
what are the characteristics of a C4 injury?
quadriplegia/tetraplegia, results in complete paralysis below the neck
what are the characteristics of a C6 injury?
results in partial paralysis of hands and arms as well lower body
what are the characteristics of a T6 injury?
paraplegia, results in paralysis below the chest
what are the characteristics of a L1 injury?
paraplegia, results in paralysis below the waist; bladder and bowel problem; pressure ulcer risk
what is central cord syndrome?
caused by forced hyperextension; sensory and motor deficits; upper > lower extremities; average prognosis `
what are the sxs of an incomplete anterior SCI?
loss of motor, pain/temp
mixed sensory loss
touch, proprioception, vibration remains intact
what are the causes of an incomplete anterior SCI?
trauma, hyperflexion with fracture or spinal artery injury; injury to blood supply → trauma/stabbing/tumor/clot
what are the sxs of an incomplete central SCI?
weak motor and sensation varies
worse in arms
“can walk to the door, but can’t open it”
what are the causes of an incomplete central SCI?
trauma, usually hyperextension
what are the sxs of an incomplete brown-sequard SCI? (cord hemi-section)
on same side as injury → loss of motor, touch, pressure, vibration, BUT pain/temp intact
on opposite side of injury → loss of pain/temp BUT motor, touch, sensory vibration intact
what is the cause of an incomplete brown-sequard SCI?
penetrating injury
what are the sxs of an incomplete cauda equina/conus medullaris SCI?
- compression of lumbar-sacral area (conus T11 - L1; cauda L2 - sacral)
- better prognosis b/c injury in horse tail area
- loss of motor
- sensory unimpaired
- flaccid (atonic) bowel and bladder
- impaired sexual function
what is sacral sparing in an incomplete SCI?
- these sacral nerves are located on the periphery of the spinal → this is why they can be spared
- when sacral nerves are spared, it is evidence of an incomplete injury (YAY)
- FYI: best indicator of the possibility of return of cord function is MOTOR AND B/B