Spinal cord compression Flashcards
What can cause acute spinal cord compression?
Trauma
Tumours; hemorrhage or collapse
Infection
Spontaneous haemorrhage
What can cause chronic spinal cord compression?
Degenerative disease - spondylosis
Tumours
RA
What is a complete cord transection?
All motor and sensory modalities affected; sensory and motor level
Will patients show an UMN lesion as soon as the cord is transected?
No; initially a flaccid areflexic paralysis
UMN appears later
What is brown-sequard syndrome show?
Ipsilateral motor level
Ipsilateral dorsal column sensory level
Contralateral spinothalamic sensory level
What mechanism can result in central cord syndrome?
Hyper Flexion or extension injury to already stenotic neck
What will be the distribution of central cord syndrome?
Distal upper limb weakness
Cape-like spinothalamic sensory loss
Lower limb power preserved
Dorsal columns preserved
What is the presentation of chronic spinal cord compression?
UMN signs predominate
What can cause spinal cord compression?
High energy trauma Tumour Haemorrhage Degenerative changes Infection
What are the types of extradural tumours of the spinal cord?
Mets; lung, breast, kidney, prostate
What are the types of intradural tumours of the spinal cord?
Extramedullary; meningioma, schwannoma
Intramedullary; astrocytome, ependymoma
What will tumours do to the spinal cord?
Slowly compress
Can also cause acute compression by collapse or haemorrhage
What is spinal canal stenosis?
Osteophyte formation
Bulging of IV discs
Facet joint hypertrophy
Eventual subluxation
What infections can affect the spinal cord?
Epidural; bloodborne, staph, TB
Surgery or trauma
What types of haemorrhage can cause spinal cord compression?
Epidural
Subdural
Intramedullary
