Lecture 13 - Spinal Chord Injury - Quadriplegia Flashcards
Where does the spinal cord extend from?
From the medulla oblongata to L1
What does the lower part of the spinal cord taper to form?
The conus medullaris
How many pairs of spinal nerves are there?
31
What kinds of spinal nerves are there?
Cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, coccygeal
How many cervical nerves are there?
8
How many thoracic nerves are there?
12
How many lumbar nerves are there?
5
How many sacral nerves are there?
5
How many coccygeal nerves are there?
1
Which spinal cord root contains sensory fibers?
Dorsal root
Which spinal cord root contains motor fibers?
Ventral root
What does the grey matter of the spinal cord contain?
Sensory and motor nerve cells
What does the white matter of the spinal cord contain?
Ascending/descending tracts
What are the three tracts of the spinal column?
Posterior column, lateral corticospinal tract, and lateral spinothalamic tract
What is the posterior column responsible for?
Fine touch, light pressure, and proprioception
What is the lateral corticospinal tract responsible for?
Skilled voluntary movement
What is the lateral spinothalamic tract responsible for?
Pain and temperature sensation
What is a spinal cord injury?
Insult to the spinal cord resulting in a change in the normal motor, sensory, or automatic function
What are some mechanisms of injury of a spinal cord injury?
Direct trauma
Compression by bone fragments/hematoma/disc material
Ischemia from damage/impingement on spinal arteries
What is ischemia?
Lack of blood
What is the leading cause of spinal cord injuries in the US?
Motor vehicle accidents
What are the top four leading causes of spinal cord injuries?
Motor vehicle accidents, falls, violence, and sports
What is the number one sport associated with spinal cord injuries?
Horseback riding
What age group at greatest risk for spinal cord injury?
16 - 30 years old
What percentage of cases occur in the age group at greatest risk for a spinal cord injury?
55%
What sex is at greatest risk for spinal cord injury?
Male
What percentage of spinal cord injuries are male?
81.6%
What determines the signs and symptoms experienced by a spinal cord injury?
The level and extent of the damage
What levels of damage can occur from a spinal cord injury?
Dematomes and myotomes
What is a dermatome?
The area of skin innervated by sensory axons within a particular segmental nerve root
How does a dermatome help determine the level of injury?
Indicates if sensory functions were damaged
What is a myotome?
A segmental nerve root innervating a muscle
How does a myotome help determine the level of injury?
Indicates if motor functions were damaged
What extent of damage can occur from a spinal cord injury?
Complete or incomplete
What occurs as a result of a complete spinal cord injury?
Loss of voluntary movement of parts innervated by segment
Loss of sensation
Spinal shock
What occurs as a result of an incomplete spinal cord injury?
Limited function below site of injury
Recognizable patterns in injury (varied, rarely pure)
How can spinal cord injuries be classified?
Quadriplegia, paraplegia, and hemiplegia
What is quadriplegia?
Injury that occurs in the cervical region affecting all four extremities
What is paraplegia?
Injury that occurs in the thoracic, lumbar, or sacral segments affecting two extremities
What is heniplegia?
Injury that occurs affecting only one side of the body
Is there a cure for spinal cord injury?
No
What types of treatments exist for spinal cord injuries?
Physical therapy/assistive technology, stem cells/neurostimulation, and exoskeletons
How are stem cells/neurostimulation used to help treat spinal cord injuries?
They attempt to get neurons to reattach to the spinal cord
How are exoskeletons used to treat spinal cord injuries?
By placing electrodes on the spinal cord below injury site and using an impulse to stimulate muscles and cause a contraction
