Neuro-acute spinal cord disfunction Flashcards
What most often causes acute, non-progressive signs of spinal cord dysfunction?
- trauma
- hemorrhage
- Intervertebral disk extrussion
- fibrocartilagenous embolism
Why should you always assess the entire spine in trauma patients?
multiple spinal fractures occur in about 10% of trauma patients
What animals hemorrhage into the spinal canal?
- hemophilia A
- von willebrands
- acquired bleeding disorders
- primary or metastic neoplasia that bleeds (lymphoma, hemangiosarcoma)
What is Hansen’s type 1 disk dz?
large mass of nucleus pulposus herniates through annular fibers and enters spinal canal, bruising and compressing spinal cord
What breeds is Hansen type 1 most common in?
- daschund
- toy poodle
- pekingese
- beagle
- welsh corgi
- lhasa apso
- shih tzu
- cocker spaniel
Why do certain breeds get Hansen type 1 disk dz?
They get degeneration of intervertebral disks at a young age.
common in small breed dogs between 3-6
What large breed dogs (older) does Hansen type 1 occur in?
Basset hound Doberman (cervical vertebral instability) German shepherd Lab Dalmatian Sharpei Border collie Rottweilers
What are clinical features of Hansen type I disk extrusion?
- PAIN (with or without neuro defects)
2. signs of spinal cord injury
What causes pain in hansen type I disk extrusion?
compression of nerve roots and meninges
What are the signs of spinal cord compression in order of worsening progression?
- loss of proprioception
- ability to rise and walk
- ability to voluntarily move
- bladder control
- ability to feel deep pain
Are neurological signs with disk disease usually symmetric or asymmetric?
usually bilaterally symmetric
Why does cervical disk disease usually cause neck pain without neurological defects?
because the bony vertebral canal in this region has a very wide diameter
What do animals often exhibit with cervical disk disease?
- neck pain
- root signature
- rarely UMN to all 4 legs
What is root signature?
sign of cerbical disc dz due to compression of nerve roots or meninges, causing a pain response. affected ogs limb on one forelimb, hold it up when standing and resist movement of that shoulder through a normal range of motion
What are the signs of thoracolumbar disk dz?
- hinched back, back pain
- often neurological defects (ataxia to paralysis
UMN to hind legs (increased tone, normal to increased reflexes, ataxia, diminished proprioception)
How is disk disease diagnosed
- history
- localization of lesion
- spinal radiographs to look for disk disease
- advanced imaging
What are the major differential diagnoses for intervertebral disk disease?
- trauma
- firocartilaginous embolism
- hemorrhage
Why are spinal radiographs important when trying to diagnose intervertebral disk dz?
- rule out other dz: diskospondylitis, lytic vertebral tumor, fracture
- look for evidence of disk disease
When is a complete evaluation when IVDD is suspected recommended?
- anything that makes dx of disk extrusion uncertain
2. progression nof signs so that surgery is indicated
Why does observation of calcified disk spaces often not allow one to pinpoint the site of extrusion causing neuro dysfunction?
many dogs have multiple sites affected, some of which are old and only one that is actively causing a problem
What are radiographic signs consistent with herniation of intervertebral disk in thoracolumbar region?
- narrow or wedged disk space
- small or cloudy intervertebral foramen
- narrowing of facetal joints
- calcified density in spinal canal above involved disk
What is required to definitively localize site of an extruded intervertebal disk causing spinal cord compression in animals in which surgery is being considered?
advanced diagnostic imaging (CT, MRI, occasionally myelography)
What are drawbacks of myelography?
- they worsen menigitis and make it difficult to diagnose
2. It is difficult to tell whether the disk material is mostly on the left or right
What should always be done before myelographyt?
- collection AND analysis of CSF
When is CT most likely to be diagnostic for intervertebral disk dz?
when the extruded disk is calcified
What is the best advanced diagnostic imaging technique for localizing site and side of extruded disks?
MRI (also allows to evaluate cord parenchym)