SCI Flashcards
What are the three most important concerns as a SCI pt?
- Sexual function
- Walk
- Bowel and bladder
SCI is a ___ incidence and ____ cost event.
low; high
SCI rarely occur in isolation, ___% have another major injury, 15% being a head injury.
75
SCI = males __% of the time, mean age being early ____.
80; 30
Are non-traumatic or traumatic more common?
non-traumatic
Is tetraplegia or paraplegia more common?
tetraplegia
________ = impairment in motor and/or sensory function of the LE’s.
paraplegia
________ = impairment in motor and/or sensory function that results in the parietal or total loss of use of the limbs and torso.
quadriplegia
After age 45 most common cause of SCI is ______.
falls
What are the 3 ways that the SCI can be damaged?
- Concussion
- Contusion
- Laceration
Excessive _______ causes 50% of SCI in younger adults.
flexion
Excessive _________ more common mechanism of injury in older individuals.
extension
With violent movement, SC vertebrae can _____, scatters bony fragments.
burst
First ____ hours = necrotic death of axons that were damaged.
18
Lesion then progressives both up and down the cord, as far as ___ segments.
4
Immune response in SCI pathology trigger _______.
apoptosis
________ injury = structural damage occurring instantly after the event.
primary
_______ injury = more extensive injury can occur if the spine is not immediately immobilized.
secondary
Often a small rim of spared _____ and ____ remains, preserving this is key for recovery of function.
tissue; axons
Secondary injury = ________cascade that happens after injury.
pathophysiologic
In secondary injury, what 3 things occur?
- Ischemia
- Hypoxemia
- Edema
In secondary injury, necrosis can be triggered by excitotoxic changes (________ toxicity) and can continue for weeks.
glutamate
Less than ___% of cord supports locomotion so sparing even a very small portion is key.
10
Prevention of _______ appears to have large beneficial clinical consequences.
edema
___________ = reduces firing rate as a result of trauma to oligodendroglial cells
demyelination
Demyelinations triggers degeneration about the lesion and along the __________ tract.
corticospinal
Scar tissue formation can impede _______ regeneration.
axonal
Grey matter losses are confined to ___ to ___ spinal segments about the lesion.
1-1.5
________ scaring can permanently connect the cord to the overlying dura and tether it.
dural
Neural function below the lesion are subject to accelerated _______ and loss of _______.
aging; function
Areas of the brain under go atrophic changes from loss of signals, = ________.
diaschesis
Acutely after an injury the pt will go into ______ ______.
spinal shock
______ ___ of spinal shock = complete loss of all reflexes below the injury. This phase lasts for a day. Neurons have lost input, become hyperpolarized and less responsive to stimuli.
phase 1
______ _____ of spinal shock = return of some, but not all, reflexes below the SCI.
phase 2
______ ____ = mononsynaptic reflexes such as the deep tendon reflexes are restored.
phase 3
The first synapses to form in phase 3 of spinal shock are form ________ axons, usually from _______.
shorter; interneurons
_______ ___ = hyperreflexia occurs. Interneurons and lower motor neurons below the SCI begin sprouting, attempting to re-establish synapses.
phase 4
Clinical manifestations: C5?
elbow flexors
Clinical manifestations: C6?
wrist extensors
Clinical manifestations: C7?
elbow extensors