Clinical correlates exam 1 Flashcards
Laminectomy
a surgery to enlarge spinal canal by removing spinous processes and their corresponding lamina; used to remove pressure on spinal cord and nerves that may cause pain, numbness, etc.
Hangman’s fracture
Fracture of both pedicles at C2 caused by hyperextension of neck.
Lumbar spinal stenosis
narrowing of vertebral foramen, compressing spinal roots. This causes pain and numbness in lower back to legs and make walking difficult. Implications: sometimes treated with decompressive laminectomy.
Intervertebral disc herniation
Typically occurs at lumbar levels (L4-L5 or L5-S1); Disk slips occur posteriorly due to narrow size of posterior longitudinal ligament; occurs when nucleus pulposis protrudes into or through the annulus fibrosis into the vertebral canal and compresses the spinal cord or nerve roots
Triangle of auscultation
Allows lung sounds to be heard clearly because no muscle intervenes between skin and rib cage; bounded by the trapezius, latissimus dorsi and medial edge of the scapula
Lumbar spinal puncture
Spinal puncture (spinal tap) – needle inserted between two vertebrae and into subarachnoid space to remove CSF; can help diagnose infections (meningitis, CNS infections, MS) and detect bleeding and hemorrhaging or cancer of brain or spinal cord. Inject anesthetic or chemotherapy. Introduce dye. Needle must penetrate through skin, fat, supraspinous ligament, interspinous ligament, ligamentum flavum, epidural space, dura mater, subdural space, and arachnoid mater to reach the subarachnoid space.
Whiplash:
Overextension of anterior longitudinal ligament
Spondylolysis and the “Scotty dog” phenomenon?
● Spondylolysis: when fractures of the interarticular parts of the vertebral laminae “Pars Interarticularis” cause displacement/dislocation of the vertebrae; common at L5 vertebra
● Scotty dog – normal appearance of lumbar spine as viewed by oblique radiography. The transverse process is the nose, the pedicle forms the eye, the inferior articular facet forms the front leg, the superior articular facet forms the ear, and the pars interarticularis forms the neck of the dog. When spondylolysis occurs, a break will be visible on the “neck” of the scotty dog.
Spondylolisthesis:
caused by spondylolysis in which vertebrae becomes weakened and a vertebra will slip anteriorly from the other vertebrae where they are no longer aligned. Common at L4/L5
Lumbar triangle of Petit:
Site for hernias of retroperitoneal contents through posterior abdominal wall; bordered by the latissimus dorsi, external obliques, and iliac crest
Vertebral artery atherosclerosis
plaques cause its narrowing and occlusion; the tortuous course of the vertebral artery causes the patients with atherosclerosis may become dizzy and experience other symptoms of brainstem ischemia when the neck is rotated or when chiropractic manipulation is conducted.
Lordosis:
excessive lumbar inward curvature “lowerdosis”
Kyphosis
excessive thoracic outward curvature
Scoliosis
lateral curvature of vertebral column
Crush fracture:
crushing of vertebral body
Lumbar spinal puncture
withdraw CSF from subarachnoid space; done by inserting needle between L4 and L5 vertebral levels (found by tracing iliac crest medially). This penetrates the supraspinous, interspinous ligaments, and ligamentum flavum. “pop “ is the needle penetrating the dura mater.
Caudal epidural:
anesthesia administered into lowest portion of epidural space by penetrating sacrococcygeal ligament which covers the sacral hiatus. Sacral cornua used as bony landmark to administer
Winged scapula”:
serratus anterior (powerful protractor) paralyzed due to damage of long thoracic nerve (from spinal nerve roots C5/C6/C7), causes inability to hold scapula in place and it retracts/looks like a wing
Quadrangular space:
Box of PCANs” contains the Posterior Humeral Circumflex Artery and the Axillary Nerve
Clavicular fractures: Why is the medial clavicular fragment often elevated after a clavicle fracture? Why does shoulder drop occur with a clavicular fracture?
The clavicle is commonly fractured by indirect force transmitted from an outstretched arm to the shoulder during a fall or a blow to the forearm while outstretched. Since the weakest part of the clavicle is at the junction of its middle and lateral thirds, a fracture results in the elevation of the medial clavicular fragment by the upward pull of the sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM). The trapezius is now unable to hold up the lateral fragment given the weight of the upper limb, so the shoulder drops. Can result in pulmonary embolism (blood clots in subclavian vein), brachial artery embolism (blood clots in subclavian artery), or damage to inferior trunk of brachial plexus.
Lymph node removal:
: two nerves at risk- long thoracic nerve and thoracodorsal nerve. Breast cancer: excision and pathological analysis of axillary lymph nodes is often necessary. Because axillary lymph nodes are arranged and receive lymph (and cancer cells) in a specific order, removing and excising lymph nodes in that order is important in determining how far the cancer has metastasized.
Dermatome
a strip of skin innervated by one spinal cord level
C2 dermatome
Top and back of skull
C3 dermatome
Upper neck (turtleneck)
C4 dermatome
lower neck (collar of shirt)
T4 dermatome
Nipple
t7 dermatome
xiphoid
t10 dermatome
umbilicus/appendix
L4 dermatome
knee
Cutaneous innervation:
a strip of skin that is innervated by one peripheral nerve; may or may not include more than one spinal cord level
Upper limb stenosis
anastomoses provide alternate routes to supply blood
Subclavian Vein puncture
catheter placed into subclavian vein by puncturing axillary vein and advancing it medially. Axillary vein is inferior and anterior to axillary artery, the target for central lines.
Fracture of the surgical neck of the humerus:
posterior humeral circumflex artery are affected and axillary nerve (innervates deltoid and teres minor). Therefore abduction and lateral rotation are impaired.
Fracture of humeral shaft:
damages radial nerve inside radial groove and deep brachial artery/profunda brachii
Spiral fracture of humerus:
result of a fall on the outstretched hand. Impairs radial n. and deep brachial artery.
Fracture of distal humerus:
damage of median nerve
Fracture at radial groove:
damage of radial nerve and deep brachial vein (profunda brachii)
Transverse fracture of humeral shaft:
MARMU nerves can be damaged; results from a direct blow to the arm
Avulsion of greater tubercle of humerus:
SIT muscles of rotator cuff all attach here (subscalularis, lesser tubercle of humerus
Intercondylar fracture
olecranon of elbow is driven into humerus, separating humerus
Supracondylar fracture:
fracture directly superior to epicondyles. Compresses median nerve and brachial artery.
Lymphangitis
caused by an infection of the upper limb. results in enlarged, tender and inflamed axillary lymph nodes. The humeral group is first to be involved.
Lymphedema:
caused by lymphatic drainage of the upper limb may be impeded after removal of axillary lymph nodes or swelling as a result of accumulated lymph in the subcutaneous tissue
. Biceps reflex: a positive response that confirms integrity of what nerve and what spinal cord levels?
Musculocutaneous nerve; C5, C6, C7
Why is the cubital fossa a common site for sampling and transfusion of blood?
The median cubital vein lies superior to the bicipital aponeurosis and is a good site for extraction of blood.
Compression of the axillary artery
necessary when profuse bleeding occurs; the distal segment can be palpated in the inferior lateral wall of the axilla. It may also be compressed at its origin, with pressure in the angle between sternocleidomastoid and the clavicle.
Wounds in the axilla
often involve the axillary vein due to its exposed position and are particularly dangerous because of profuse bleeding and the risk of air emboli (bubbles) entering the blood.
Upper/superior brachial plexus injury:
C5&6. Result from excessive angle between neck and shoulder.
● Erb Duchenne’s palsy- paralysis of deltoid, biceps, brachialis. Waiter’s tip position results: limb hangs by side in medial rotation, elbow extended, arm adducted.
22. Lower/inferior brachial plexus injury
Lower/inferior brachial plexus injury:
upper limb pulls superiorly, injuries C8 and T1.
● Claw hand results, also known as Klumpke Paralysis
Damage to coracoid process, what muscles will be affected?
Coracobrachialis
● Short head of biceps brachii
● Pectoralis minor
Crutches paralysis:
can injure the RADIAL nerve leading to wrist drop and other signs of typical radial nerve damage