Respiratory care for spinal cord injury

Question 1

What level spinal cord injuries require ventilation?

Answer 1

C2-C5

Question 2

Why can an injury to the cervical or thoracic spine affect respiration?

Answer 2

It affects spinal nerves that innervation muscles for respiration

Question 3

What spinal roots does the phrenic nerve originate from, and what respiratory muscle do they innervate?

Answer 3

“C3, 4 and 5 keep the diaphragm alive”

Question 4

What can a SCI affecting the diaphragm have an impact on for respiration?

Answer 4

Reduced lung volume due to reduced ability to generate expanding force

Question 5

What affect can upright positioning have on resting lung volume/FRC and tidal volume (with diaphragm affected by SCI)?

Answer 5

Increased resting lung volume, decreased tidal volume

Question 6

What affect can supine positioning have on resting lung volume/FRC and tidal volume (with diaphragm affected by SCI)?

Answer 6

Decreased resting lung volume, increased tidal volume