Spinal Cord Injuries

Question 1

About what percentage of spinal injuries are transport related?

Answer 1

46%

Question 2

What percentage of traumatic spinal cord injuries are male?

Answer 2

80%

Question 3

What age group has the highest proportion of spinal cord injuries?

Answer 3

25-34 years

Question 4

What is an incomplete spinal injury?

Answer 4

some sensory and/or motor function remains

Question 5

What proportion of spinal cord injuries are seen in the cervical spine?

Answer 5

55%

Question 6

Does the spinal cord have to be completely severed to see neurological damage?

Answer 6

no

Question 7

How long is the spinal cord?

Answer 7

43-45cm long

Question 8

Where does the spinal cord generally end?

Answer 8

T12

Question 9

What is a Central Cord Lesion?

Answer 9

hyperextension injury of the cervical spine resulting in compression, hypoxia and haemorrhage of central grey matter of spinal cord

generally seen in elderly due to a fall

Question 10

What is Sacral Sparing?

Answer 10

when the peripheral rim of the spinal cord is preserved retaining sacral sensation, voluntary anal control & toe movement

Question 11

What is Anterior Cervical Cord Syndrome?

Answer 11

a flexion injury resulting in damage to the anterior two thirds of the spinal cord

preserves light tough & proprioception below level of lesion

Question 12

What is Brown-Sequard Syndrome?

Answer 12

usually due to a stabbing injury resulting in one side of the spinal cord damaged

loss of light touch, proprioception & motor function on the same side of injury and loss of pain & temperature sensation on the opposite side

Question 13

What is heterotopic ossification?

Answer 13

abnormal bone growth within a joint

Question 14

What is autonomic dysreflexia?

Answer 14

sudden hypertension from an intense stimulus somewhere below the level of the spinal injury

the body can’t process this information properly and results in headache, bradycardia, rash, sweating, goosebumps, anxiety, nasal stuffiness, blurred vision

Question 15

What are some things we are looking at during a respiratory assessment?

Answer 15

breathing pattern, respiratory rate, coughing ability

Question 16

What does the ASIA Impairment Scale evaluate?

Answer 16

light touch, pin prick and motor function

Question 17

What do the classifications A, B, C, D & E stand for in the ASIA impairment scale?

Answer 17

A= complete
B= sensory incomplete
C= motor incomplete (muscle grade less than 3)
D= motor incomplete 
E= normal

Question 18

At what spinal level (and above) are we not expecting our patients to perform transfers?

Answer 18

C5 & above

Question 19

How often should pressure redistribution be performed?

Answer 19

ideally every 20-30 minutes

Question 20

What are some pressure redistribution techniques?

Answer 20

pressure lifts, leans and tilt-in-space chairs

Question 21

What is functional electrical stimulation (FES)?

Answer 21

the application of electrical current to paralysed muscles to restore or improve their function

Question 22

What functional tasks does functional electrical stimulation (FES) aim to improve?

Answer 22

breathing, coughing, grasping, transferring, standing & walking

Question 23

How often should functional electrical stimulation be used?

Answer 23

3 times per week for 30-60 minutes

Question 24

True or false… functional electrical stimulation (FES) can promote neurological recovery and increase bone density

Answer 24

false

Question 25

True or false… functional electrical stimulation (FES) can increase muscle mass/strength, reverse atrophy, improve cardio fitness & blood flow

Answer 25

true