Intro to SCI Flashcards
What patient population is mostly affected by spinal cord injuries.
Young adult males
Name some of the most common types of traumatic injuries?
MVA
Falls
Violence
Sports
Name some non-traumatic injuries that can cause SCI?
AVM-arterial venous malformation Hemorrhage Subluxation Abscess infections such as syphilis or transverse myelitis
Are cervical or thoracolumbar SCIs more common?
Cervical
What is the most common type of SCI?
Incomplete Tetraplegia - 39.5%
Complete paraplegia - 22.1%
Incomplete paraplegia - 21.7%
Complete tetraplegia - 16.3%
What is the average length of stay for a patient in the acute care setting and inpatient rehab setting?
Acute Care - 12 days
Inpatient rehab - 37 days
What is the life expectancy after SCI?
If injured at 20 y/0
- 50 years with incomplete
- 35 years with complete
Describe the neurological level.
Most caudal level of the spinal cord with normal motor and sensory function on both sides
What is the motor and sensory level?
Most caudal segment with normal motor or sensory function bilaterally
How is the motor level tested and what do you if there is a myotome that is not clinically testable (C1-C4, T1-L1, S2-S5)?
Standard MMT scale of 0-5
When you can’t test it, the motor level is the same as the sensory level.
How is the sensory level tested?
Tested with light touch and pin prick
It’s scored on a 3 point scale
0-Absent, 1-Impaired, 2-normal
Describe a complete injury.
No sensory or motor function in lower sacral segments
Describe an incomplete injury
Having motor and/or sensory function below level of injury INCLUDING sensory and/or motor function at S4 and S5.
How do you determine motor or sensory function at sacral segments S4-S5?
Determine anal sensation and voluntary contraction of exterior anal sphincter.
What is it called if an individual has motor and/or sensory function below neurological level of injury but does not have function at S4 and S5?
Zones of Partial Preservation
Describe the ASIA scale.
A - Complete no sensory or motor in sacral segments
B - Incomplete. Sensory but not motor function below neurological level
C - Incomplete. Motor function is preserved below neurological level, and more than half of key muscles have grade or equal to 3 in at least half of muscles
E - Normal
Describe Brown-Sequard Syndrome.
Damage to 1 side of the cord
Typically caused by penetration wounds (gunshot, stab)
Asymmetrical features
Ipsilateral paralysis and sensory loss (light touch, vibratory)
Contralateral loss of sense of pain and temp
Achieve good functional gains during rehab
Which syndrome is related to flexion injuries?
Anterior cord syndrome
Does anterior cord syndrome have a longer or shorter length of stay compared to those with other syndromes.
Longer
What is the most common SCI syndrome?
Central Cord Syndrome