Principles of Spinal Disease

Question 0

What are the different parts of the spinal cord?

Answer 0

Dura mater and arachnoid, epidural space, subarachnoid space, dorsal/lateral/ventral funiculus of white matter, dorsal/ventral horn of grey matter
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Question 1

What are the different parts of the vertebrae?

Answer 1

Dorsal spinous process, caudal articular process, cranial articular process, transverse process, spinal foramen/vertebral foramen, transverse foramen
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Question 2

What are the two parts of the intervertebral discs?

Answer 2

Annulus fibrosus and nucleus pulposus

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Question 3

Where do the sensory tracts run?

Answer 3

Ipsilaterally in the dorsal and lateral funiculi

Question 4

Where do the UMN tracts run?

Answer 4

Ipsilaterally in the lateral and ventral funiculi

Question 5

Where are the LMN cell bodies located?

Answer 5

Ipsilaterally in the ventral horn of the grey matter

Question 6

What are the functional spinal cord segments?

Answer 6

C1-5
C6-T2
T3-L3
L4-S3/Cd

Question 7

What is the definition of ataxia?

Answer 7

Incoordination

Question 8

How does ataxia due to a spinal lesion present?

Answer 8

It has to be sensory so wide based stance, increased stride length, swaying/floating gait and knuckling are seen

Question 9

What is the definition of paresis?

Answer 9

Decreased voluntary movement

Question 10

What are the signs of LMN paresis?

Answer 10

Muscle tone decreased, spinal reflexes decreased to absent, stride length normal to decreased, stiff, bunny-hopping gait, +/- collapse

Question 11

What are the signs of UMN paresis?

Answer 11

Muscle tone is normal to increases in limbs caudal to the lesion, spinal reflexes are normal to increased in limbs caudal to the lesion, stride length normal to increased, spacticity

Question 12

What clinical signs does a L4-S3 myelopathy show?

Answer 12

LMN signs in back legs

Question 13

What clinical signs does a T3-L3 myelopathy cause?

Answer 13

UMN signs in back legs

Question 14

What clinical signs does a C6-T2 myelopathy show?

Answer 14

LMN signs in front legs and UMN signs in back legs

Question 15

What clinical signs does a C1-C5 myelopathy show?

Answer 15

UMN signs in all limbs

Question 16

What causes LMN signs in all limbs?

Answer 16

Generalised neuromuscular localisation

Question 17

What causes UMN signs in all limbs and/or altered mentation and/or CN deficits?

Answer 17

Brainstem lesion

Question 18

How do you determine the severity of a spinal lesion?

Answer 18

Type of signs/deficits

Proprioceptive lost first, then paresis progressing to plegia and finally superficial pain is lost before deep pain

Question 19

What is the five finger rule?

Answer 19

Onset
Progression
Localisation
Symmetry
Pain

Question 20

What parts of the signalment can be useful in making a differentials list?

Answer 20

Species, breed, age and sex

Question 21

What can be used to help make your differentials list?

Answer 21

DAMNITV

degenerative, anomalous, metabolic, neoplastic, inflammatory/infectious, trauma, vascular