Spinal Cord Conditions

Question 1

A patient presents to a & e after falling off a horse. They cannot move their legs and they have no sensation below the waist. What has most likely happened to their spinal cord?

Answer 1

Complete cord transection - all motor and sensory modalities have been affected.

Question 2

If you have a cord hemisection describe the brown sequard syndrome that would arise

Answer 2

1. Ipsilateral motor level loss
2. Ipsilateral dorsal column sensory loss
3. Contralateral spinothalamic sensory level loss

Question 3

How do you get damage to the central cord?

Answer 3

Hyperflexion or extension injury (falling on forehead or occiput) in a person with an already stenotic neck.

Question 4

An elderly lady arrives in a & e. She has fallen over and has a large cut on her forehead. She complains of weakness in her forearms and she is sense pain or temperature in her shoulders and upper arm. In her notes you see she has made several visits to her GP complaining of neck pain.

Answer 4

Central cord syndrome

Question 5

If you have chronic spinal cord compression are you more likely to see upper motor neurone or lower motor neurone signs.

Answer 5

Upper

Question 6

What do you call a CSF cavity which has developed in the spinal cord?

Answer 6

A syrinx

Question 7

What symptoms does extrinsic compression of the spinal cord usually cause?

Answer 7

Sensory loss in the sacral dermatomes that are involved.

Question 8

Where does the C7 nerve emerge from?

Answer 8

Between the C6 and C7 vertebrae

Question 9

Where does the L4 emerge from?

Answer 9

Between the L4 and L5 vertebrae.