Myelopathy Flashcards
What is a myelopathy & causes?
Disorder of spinal cord Trauma/ haematoma Compression (malignancy- breast, lung, kidney, prostate, thyroid) Bleed Tumour Metabolic Infection- epidural abscess, septic arthritis, osteomyelitis Cervial disc prolapse Autoimmune
Brown Sequard Syndrome
Unilateral lesion causing UMN involvement
-IPSILATERAL: spastic leg & arm and loss of proprioception and vibration
CONTRALATERAL: loss of pain and temp
What is transverse myelitis
Inflammation of cord with resistant paraparesis (autoimmune) triggered by infection (MS, sarcoid, viral infection) causing leg & arm weakness, tingling back pain and reduced sensation in leg
What causes metabolic Cord Disease & symptoms
Vit B12 deficiency
Slowly progressive weakness, sensory ataxia, paraesthesia, peripheral neuropathy.
How do you investigate myelopathy?
MRI
Biopsy if lesion
Bloods
How would you treat malignancy compressing spinal cord?
Dexamethasone
Chemo/radiotherapy/decompression/laminectomy
What are the signs and symptoms of cauda equina syndrome?
Leg weakness (flaccid and areflexic- LMN)
Sciatic pain down legs
Decreased sphincter tone
Saddle anaesthesia
Erectile dysfunction
TREAT IMMEDIATELY TO AVOID SPHINCTER permanent damage