Neuro Flashcards
What are the types of hydrocephalus and what causes them?
Hydrocephalus
- Communicating (no blockage-decreased absorption)
- Non-communicating (blockage in system )
COMMUNICATING HYDROCEPHALUS What does it look like on CT? What causes it? Can you use LP? Managment?
COMMUNICATING (normal pressure)
Appearance
-pressure increased in all areas of ventricles
-all ventricles enlarged on CT
Causes
-E.g. SAH/ meningitis/post op
LP: YOU CAN USE LP
Managment
-extra-ventricular drain or lumbar drain or permanent diversion (shunt)
NON COMMUNICATING HYDROCEPHALUS What does it look like on CT? What causes it? Can you use LP? Managment?
NON-COMMUNICATING (blockage in system)
Appearance
-pressure throughout not consistent (higher before blockage)
Causes
-Causes: mass/cyst/infection web/intraventricular haemorrhage
LP: DO NOT DO LP
Management: remove obstruction/permanent diversion (shunt)
Causes of encephalitis?
ENCEPHALITIS IS MOST OFTEN CAUSED BY VIRAL Viral -HSV most common inf. cause (type 1 ADULTS. type 2 neonates) -CMV -EBV -VZV -HIV -Measles -Mumps -Japanese B encephalitis
Non-viral
- bacterial meningitis, TB, malaria, legionella, listeria, schistosomiasis, typhus , toxoplasmosis (AIDS)
Presentation if encephalitis?
ENCEPHALITIS
Clinical hallmark is a TRIAD of:
- Fever
- Headache
- Altered mental status
- ↓GCS or odd “encephalopathic” behaviour (confusion)
Also common to have Infectious prodrome:
- Meningism (common) – fever, headache, neck stiff, photophobia, vomiting
- Cold sores (HSV)
- Fever, Rash
- Lymphadenopathy, Conjunctivitis
- History of travel or animal bite
*(if no prodrome, consider encephalopathy: hypoglyceamia, hepatic enceph, DKA, Wernikes)
Investigations for encephalitis?
ENCEPHALITIS Bloods -blood cultures -viral PCR (also throat swab and MSU) -toxoplasma IgM titre (AIDS/immunocompromised) -malaria film (thick and thin blood film) -Glucose – check not DKA -LFTS – Hepatic encephalopathy
Imaging
-Contrast enhanced CT (MRI if allergic to contrast)
LP – do after CT
↑↑Protein ↑↑Lymphocytes ↓Glucose
Send for Viral PCR = 95% specific for HSV1
EEG – lateralised periodic discharge (2Hz)
You do a contrast enhanced CT for encephalitis and see the following:
a) focal Bilateral temporal lobe involvement
b) meningeal enhancement
ENCEPHALITIS CT CONTRAST
a) HSV = focal B/L temporal lobe involvement
b) Meningingoencephalitis = meningeal enhancement
Treatment for encephalitis?
ENCEPHALITIS
-IV Aciclovir START WITHIN 30 MINS OF ARRIVAL
(for 14 days. 21 days if immunocompromised)
What does the 3rd cranial nerve do?
CN III
- Eye movements (NOT superior orbital and lactus rectus)
- Pupillary constriction
- Accommodation
- Eye lid opening
How does 3rd nerve palsy present?
Investigation?
Third nerve palsy (ocular motor)
- DOWN AND OUT (double vision)
- Ptosis
- Pupil dilated (mydriasis) (may be pupil sparing if caused by poor blood flow rather than compression-HTN/diabetes)
- Painful (sign of posterior communicating artery aneurysm)
MRI to identify cause
How does a 4th nerve palsy present?
how will they appear to look from end of bed
4th nerve palsy TROCHLEAR (affects superior oblique muscle-SO4)
- Head tilt AWAY from affected eye (chin depressed if bilateral)
- Downward gaze → vertical diplopia
- When adducted the eye will raise (when adducted, the superior oblique is the only muscle that can depress eye-it fails and so the eye raises)
*Can be congenital
How does a 5th nerve palsy present?
5th nerve palsy (TRIGEMINAL)
- Trigeminal neuralgia – shock paroxysms of U/L V1-V3
- Loss of corneal reflex (afferent)
- Loss of facial sensation
- Paralysis of muscles of mastication
- Deviation of jaw jerk to weak side
How does a 6th nerve palsy present?
6th nerve palsy (ABDUCENS)
- Defective ABduction → horizontal diplopia
- E.g. when looking to the left, the left eye wont move
How does a 7th nerve palsy present?
7th nerve palsy
- Flaccid paralysis of upper AND lower face
- Loss of corneal reflex (efferent)
- Loss of taste (because anterior2/3 tongue supplied)
- Ear numbess and pain (Hyperacusis - ↑sensitivity to certain frequencies)
- If caused by HSV (ramsy hunt)>painful rash/lesions
Bells palsy → high dose prednisolone may help in first 24hrs
Deviation of Tongue to LEFT-where is lesion?
Tongue deviation
- tongue=towards lesion
- e.g. left tongue deviation=left hypoglossal lesion (CN XII)
Deviation of uvula to LEFT-where is the lesion?
Uvular deviation
- uvular=away lesion
- e.g.right vagus nerve (X)
Easy pneumonic to help remember arm nerve palsies?
ARM-U(niversity) you should be able to NAMe SOME
Axillary nerve (C5-C6) -Neck of femur fracture
Radial nerve (C5-T1)
- Axilla (saturday nigh palsy or crutches)
- Midshaft fracture of humerous
Medial nerve (C5-T1) -Supracondylar fracture
Ulnar nerve (C8-T1)
- Outstreched hand fall
- Medial Epicondyl fracture
How does the axillary nerve injury present?
Mechanism of injury?
AXILLARY NERVE (axillary=abduction)
- Reduced ABDUCTION
- Flattened deltoid
- ↓sensation to reg badge
**Humeral neck fracture
What does radial nerve control?
How does radial nerve injury present?
Mechanism of injury?
RADIAL NERVE INJURY (radial=rist drop)
-Controls extension of forearm, wrist, fingers, thumb
**Axillary pressure or midshaft fracture
What does ulnar nerve control?
How does ulnar nerve injury present?
Mechanism of injury?
ULNAR NERVE INJURY (ulnar claw)
- Intrinsic hand muscles except LOAF
- Inability to abduct fingers and Claw hand
**Outstreched hand injury or Medial epicondyle fracture
How does a medical nerve injury present?
Mechanism of injury?
MEDIAL NERVE INJURY (medial=monkey)
- Monkey hand (inability to abduct thumb away from hand)
- inability to flex wrist
(because median nerve supplies LOAF-lateral 2 lumbricals, opponens pollis, abductor pollis brevis, flexor pollis brevis)
**supracondylar fracture
How does a musculocutaneous nerve injury present?
MUSCULOCUTANEOUS NERVE
Inability to flex and supinate arm @ elbow (Biceps Brachii)
How can you get long thoracic nerve injury?
What does it look like?
LONG THORACIC NERVE INJURY
- During high impact sport e.g. blow to the ribs
- Complication of mastectomy
- Presentation: winged scapula
What is Klumpke’s palsy
How can you get Klumpke’s palsy?
How does it present?
KLUMPKES PALSY
- What: Damage of LOWER trunk of bracial plexus (C8-T1)
- Why: shoulder dystocia or excessive stretching of arm
- How: claw hand and HORNERS syndrome (psosis, anhydrosis, miosis-constriction)
What is Erbs palsy
How can you get erbs palsy?
How does it present?
ERBS PALSY
- What: Damage to UPPER trunk of brachial plexus (C5-6)
- Why: Due to shoulder dystocia during birth
- How: Arm adducted, internally rotated, elbow extended (waiter’s tip)
Ramsy hunt vs bells palsy?
Ramsy hunt
- Burning sensation
- Involves vestibular cochlear nerve as well (vertigo)
- More severe paralysis at onset and are less likely to recover completely
Aciclovir and steroids
What is the pathophysiology of Multiple Sclerosis?
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
-Autoimmune inflammatory disorder of CNS (T cell mediated)
-Destruction of oigo-dendrocytes>demyelinated plaques> axon damage
(can heal intermittently-relapse and remitting)
-NEVER affects peripheral nerves