Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

09. Year 2: Nervous System > Diseases of the Spinal Cord COPY > Flashcards

Diseases of the Spinal Cord COPY Flashcards

1
Q

What are the different parts of the spinal column?

A
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

How many vertebrae are there for each part of the spinal column?

A
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Where does the spinal cord terminate in adults and children?

A

Adults - L2

Children - L3

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Compare and contrast the following signs for UMN lesions and LMN lesions:

  • weakness
  • atrophy
  • reflexes
  • tone
  • fasciculations
  • babinki
A
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What are fasciculations?

A

Involuntary muscle contraction and relaxation which may be visible under the skin

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

How do you localise a lesion?

A
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

How are dermatomes distributed?

A
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is a myotome?

A

Group of muscles that a single spinal nerve innervates

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is the myotome of C5, C6, C7, C8 and T1?

A
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is the myotome of L2, L3, L4, L5 and S1?

A
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is the clinical presentation of a C5 spinal cord lesion?

A
  • Weakness in shoulder and below
  • Sensory level at C5
  • Increased tone in legs
  • Brisk reflexes
  • Babinski (one of the normal reflexes in infants, firmly stroke sole of foot and big toe moves upwards and other toes fan out) positive, should not happen in people over 2

This is myelopathy (UMN), which is a neurological deficit due to compression of the spinal cord

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is the clinical presentation of L4 nerve root lesion?

A

Signs and symptoms:

  • Pain down ipsilateral leg
  • Numbness in L4 dermatome
  • Weakness in ankle dorsiflexion
  • Reduced knee jerk

This is radiculopathy (LMN), which is compression of nerve root leading to dermatomal and myotomal deficits

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is radioculopathy?

A

Compression of nerve root leading to dermatomal and myotomal deficits

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is myelopathy?

A

Neurological deficit due to compression of the spinal cord

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Is myelopathy UMN or LMN?

A

UMN

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Is radioculopathy UMN or LMN?

A

LMN

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What are the different types of spinal diseases?

A
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What is a disc prolapse?

A

Acute herniation of intervertebral disc causing compression of spinal roots or spinal cord

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

If a disc prolapse occurs centrally does it cause myelopathy or radiculopathy?

A

Myelopathy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

If a disc prolapse occurs lateral does it cause myelopathy or radiculopathy?

A

Radiculopathy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What is the clinical presentation of disc prolapse?

A
  • Acute pain down leg/arm
  • Numbness and weakness in distribution of nerve root involved
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What investigation is done for disc prolapse?

A

MRI

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What is the management of a disc prolapse?

A
  • Rehabilitation
  • Nerve root injection
  • Lumbar/cervical discectomy
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What red-flages for cauda equina syndrome?

A
  • Bilateral sciatica (pain in buttocks or legs caused by sciatic nerve becoming compressed)
  • Saddle anaesthesia (loss of sensation restricted to the area of the buttocks)
  • Urinary dysfunction
25
What is bilateral sciatica?
Pain in buttocks or legs caused by sciatic nerve becoming compressed
26
What is saddle anaesthesia?
Loss of sensation restricted to the area of the buttocks
27
What is the investigation for cauda equina syndrome?
Urgent MRI
28
What is the treatment of cauda equina syndrome?
Treatment is emergency lumbar discectomy (surgery to remove herniated or degenerative disk in lower spine)
29
What is cauda equina syndrome?
Condition that occurs when the nerves that form the cauda equina are damaged
30
Is disc herniation seen in older or younger patients?
Younger patients
31
Are degenerative spinal disorders seen in older or younger patients?
Older patients
32
What are degenerative spinal conditions the result of?
* Disc prolapse * Ligamentum hypertrophy (thickening of ligamentum flavum) * Osteophyte formation (newly formed fibrocartilage and bone)
33
What can degenerative spinal conditions lead to?
Myelopathy or radiculopathy
34
What is cervical spondylosis?
Umbrella term for degenerative change in cervical spine leading to spine and nerve root compression
35
What is the clinical presentation of cervical spondylosis?
Patient can present with either myelopathy or radiculopathy (or both) Speed of onset is usually months to years
36
What is the management of cervical spondylosis?
* Conservative if no/mild myelopathy * Surgery for progressive moderate to severe myelopathy * Anterior and posterior approaches
37
What is lumbar spinal stenosis?
Is the narrowing of the spinal canal, compassing the nerves travelling through the lower back into the legs
38
What is the clinical presentation of lumbar spinal stenosis?
* Pain down both legs ‘spinal claudication’ * Worse on walking/standing and relieved by sitting or bending forwards
39
What is the management of lumbar spinal stenosis?
Lumbar laminectomy
40
What is a lumbar laminectomy?
Surgery that creates space by removing the lamina
41
What are the different classes of spinal tumours?
Extradural Intradural Intramedullary
42
What are examples of intradural spinal tumours?
Meningioma Neurofibroma Lipoma
43
What are examples of intramedullary spinal tumours?
Astrocytoma Ependymoma Teratoma Haemangioblastoma
44
What are examples of extradural spinal tumours?
Metastases (lung, breast, prostate) Primary bone tumours (chrodomas, osteoblastomas, ostelud osteoma)
45
What cancers commonly metastasis to the spinal cord and become extradural spinal tumours?
Lung Breast Prostate
46
Patients with malignant cord compression present with what?
* Pain * Weakness * Sphincter disturbance
47
What is the mangement of patients with malignant cord compression?
Management involves surgical decompression and radiotherapy
48
What are examples of spinal infections?
Osteomyelitis Discitis Epidural abscess
49
What is osteomyelitis?
Infections within vertebral body
50
What are risk factors for osteomyelitis?
* IV drug abuse * Diabetes * Chronic renal failure * Alcoholism * AIDS
51
What is the management of osteomyelitis?
* With antibiotics * Surgery if evidence of neurology
52
What is discitis?
* Infection of intervertebral disc
53
What is an epidural abscess?
* Infection in epidural space
54
What do patients with an epidural abscess present with?
* Presents with the following triad * Back pain * Pyrexia * Focal neurology (impairments of nerve, spinal cord or brain function that affects a specific region of the body)
55
What is focal neuropathy?
Impairments of nerve, spinal cord or brain function that affects a specific region of the body
56
What investigation should be done for epidural abscess?
Urgent MRI
57
What are risk factors for epidural abscess?
* IV drug abuse * Diabetes * Chronic renal failure * Alcoholism
58
What organisms typically cause epidural abscess?
* Staph Aureus * Streptococcus * E-coli
59
What is the mangement of epidural abscess?
* Urgent surgical decompression and long-term IV antibiotics

09. Year 2: Nervous System (48 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions