Neurosurgery

Question 1

L5/S1 disc prolapse would most commonly affect which nerve root?

Answer 1

S1

Question 2

What are the red flags of sciatica?

Answer 2

perineal sensation, bowel and bladder incontinence, night pain (ca), night sweats (ca/TB), focal tenderness

Question 3

What is the first-line treatment for sciatica?

Answer 3

6 weeks physiotherapy

Question 4

Where does the spinal cord end?

Answer 4

L1/2

Question 5

What is cervical myelopathy?

Answer 5

Compression of the cervical spinal cord most commonly due to degenerative cervical spondylosis

Question 6

Give clinical features of cervical myelopathy.

Answer 6

Dropping things/fine motor in hands, clumsy, hyper-reflexia/ spastic gait (UMN), loss of proprioception (comp of dorsal column)

Question 7

Which nerve root is compressed?

Sensory loss ant thigh, reduced thigh stregnth and patellar reflex.

Answer 7

L3

Question 8

Which nerve root is compressed?

Sensory loss ant KNEE, reduced thigh stregnth and patellar reflex.

Answer 8

L4

Question 9

Which nerve root is compressed?

Sensory loss dorsum of foot, weakness of EHL, reflexes in-tact.

Answer 9

L5

Question 10

Which nerve root is compressed?

Sensory loss lateral aspect of calf, weakness of plantarflexion, ankle reflex reduced.

Answer 10

S1