Neurology: Spinal Cord Disease Flashcards
What history should be taken for spinal disease?
- General
- Signalment
- Duration of CS
- Speed of onset
- Progressive or not
- Pain
What are the grades of spinal clinical signs?
Grade 1- no defecits, just pain
Grade 2- paresis, ambulatory
Grade 3- paresis, non-ambulatory
Grade 4- paralysis
Grade 5- no pain sensation
Lesion location needs to be done
What are the differentials for spinal disease?
- V- ishaemic myelopathies
- I- SRMA, MUOs, discospondylitis, toxoplasmosis, neosporosis
- T- fractures and luxations, ANNPE, AA instability
- A- AA instability, chiari-like malformation, vertebral anomalies
- N- spinal/vertebral neoplasia
- D- IVDD, I and II, CSM, LSDS, DM
What vascular diseases can cause peracute onset of spnial disease?
FCE (fibrocartilaginous emboilism)
Stroke- cats
What trauma can cause peracute onset of spinal disease?
- Acute non-compressive annulus pulposis extrusion
- Fractures/luxations
- What causes ishaemic myelopathies?
- How do they present?
- What causes and FCE?
- Blood supply to spinal cord interupted
- Peracute, non-painful- signs often very lateralised, usually at excercise
- Fibrocartilage from nucleus pulposus embolises in spinal cord vasculature
What causes acute non-compressive nucleus pulposus extrusion?
Herniated nucleus pulposus is non-mineralised, causing mainly cord contusion with minimal compression
Aucte, non-painful, non-progressive
How is FCE and traumatic disc treated?
Surgery is not indicated
Tx
* supportive care and physiotherapy
* Median time to ambulation- 2 weeks
* Time to max recovery 3m
Prognosis
* neurological score at presentation
* extension of the lesion on MRI
How are fractures and luxations diagnosed?
What is the three compartment model?
- Careful neurological examination
- Thoracic and abdominal radiographs
- Survey lateral radiographs of spine
- Orthogonal views essential
- CT/MRI may be helpful
Spine split- Dorsal, middle, ventral
How are fractures and luxations treated?
What shows poor prognosis?
- Initial- stabilise and analgesia
- Use 3 compartment rule- if unstable surgery or splint
- Decompression if fragments compressing spinal cord
- Splint if transporting
Lack of deep pain perception- usually spinal cord laceration- poor prognosis
What are acute/subacute causes of spinal disease?
IVDD type I (extrusion)
Infectious/inflammatory
* SRMA
* Discospondlylitis
* Spinal MUO meningomyelitis
What is a chondrodystrophic breed?
Short legs, long body
What is the difference between intervertebral disc degeneration between chondrodystrophic breeds and non-chondrodystrophic breeds?
Chondrodystophic- sausage dogs
* During first 2 years
* Chondroid metamorphosis
* IVD dehydrates and nucleus is invaded by hyaline cartilage
* Nucleus can mineralise
Non-chondrodystrophic breeds
* After middle age
* Fibroid metamorphosis
* IVD dehydrated and nucleus invaded by fibrocartilage
* Mineralisation less common
What is the difference between type I and II IVDD?
Type I
* herniation of the nucleus pulposus through annular fibres and extrusion of the nuclear material into the spinal canal
Type II
* Annular protrusion caused by shifting of central nuclear material, commonly associated with fibroid disc degeneration
- What age is usually affected by type I IVDD and type II?
- How does onset and signs vary between type I and II?
- Type I- 3-6y (sausage), 6-8 (non-sausage).
Type II older non-sausage - Type I- peracute, progressive, painful.
Type II- slowly progressive, chonic onset, sometimes painful