Ortho Flashcards
Radiculopathy
Radiculopathy describes a range of symptoms produced by the pinching of a nerve root in the spinal column.
Symptoms of radiculopathy vary by location but frequently include pain, weakness, numbness and tingling.
A common cause of radiculopathy is narrowing of the space where nerve roots exit the spine, which can be a result of stenosis, bone spurs, disc herniation or other conditions
Spondylosis
Spondylosis (spinal osteoarthritis) is a degenerative disorder that may cause loss of normal spinal structure and function. Although aging is the primary cause, the location and rate of degeneration is individual.
In lumbar stenosis, you might experience pain, weakness, or numbness in your legs, calves, or buttocks. With cervical spinal stenosis, you might feel symptoms in your shoulders, arms, and legs. You might also have difficulties with balance and hand clumsiness. Pain may feel like it’s radiating or it can be more like cramping. In severe cases, stenosis can affect bladder and bowel function.
Spondyolisthesis
Spondylolisthesis is a condition involving spine instability, which means the vertebrae move more than they should. A vertebra slips out of place onto the vertebra below. It may put pressure on a nerve, which could cause lower back pain or leg pain.
Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis happens when the space inside the backbone is too small. This can put pressure on the spinal cord and nerves that travel through the spine. Spinal stenosis occurs most often in the lower back and the neck.
Some people with spinal stenosis have no symptoms. Others may experience pain, tingling, numbness and muscle weakness. Symptoms can get worse over time.
Neurogenic Claudication
Neurogenic claudication is usually caused by spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal) in the lumbar spine (lower back). The narrowing of the spinal canal is generally caused by wear and tear and arthritic changes in the lower spine. These changes include bulging discs, thickening of ligaments, and overgrowth of bone spurs, especially at spinal facet joints. Stenosis can compress the nerve roots that control sensation and movement in the lower body. This compression causes pain, tingling, or cramping.
Myelopathy
Myelopathy is an injury to the spinal cord due to severe compression that may result from trauma, congenital stenosis, degenerative disease or disc herniation.
When the spinal cord is compressed or injured, it may cause a loss of sensation, loss of function, and pain or discomfort in the area at or below the compression point. Myelopathy symptoms may include:
Neck, arm, leg or lower back pain
Tingling, numbness or weakness
Difficulty with fine motor skills, such as writing or buttoning a shirt
Increased reflexes in extremities or the development of abnormal reflexes
Difficulty walking
Loss of urinary or bowel control
Issues with balance and coordination
Myel = Spinal cord
ORIF
open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) puts pieces of a broken bone into place using surgery. Screws, plates, sutures, or rods are used to hold the broken bone together.
Listhesis
A forward displacement (slippage) of a vertebrae over a lower segment.
Spondyl
A vertebrae
osis
Condition of
Myel
Marrow or spinal cord
Sacroilitis
Inflammation of sacroiliac joint, which connects the spine and the pelvis.
Arthrocentesis
Diagnostic test that is performed to determine the cause of joint pain.
Aka Joint aspiration
Arthro = Joint
Centesis = puncture
Displaced Fracture
The ends of the bone have come out of alignment.
Reduction
Broken bone set back in alignment.