Spinal Cord Injuries

Question 1

What is a Brown Sequard Lesion and what happens to the three tracts?

Answer 1

Lateral cutting of spinal cord.

If cut on the right Below level of cut:

Spinothalamic - you lose opposite pain and temperature

Dorsal colums - Lose right soft touch, proprioreception and vibration

Corticospinal - Loss of movement on the right below lesion level

Question 2

What is an anterior spinal artery infarction and what happens to the three tracts?

Answer 2

Low BP, tachycardic

Dorsal columns - Fine so soft touch, proprioreception and vibration fine

Spinothalamic - Lose on both sides so no pain or temp

Corticospinal - UMN symptoms on both sides

Question 3

What happens on a nerve root compression (Radiculopathy)

Answer 3

Sensation would be fine everywhere

LMN at one level, eg foot drop - common peroneal nerve palsy

Question 4

What is Cauda Equina Syndrome?

Answer 4

Compression after the conus medullaris causing LMN in legs, saddle anaesthesia, incontinence, urgency, impotence

Question 5

What is cervical myelopathy?

Answer 5

This narrowing of the spinal cord at the cervical level which can cause a range of symptoms from the neck down depending on where on the spinal cord is being compressed

Question 6

What is Spinal shock?

Answer 6

This is when the legs and arms become areflexic after spinal injury but sensation retunrs

Question 7

What is syringomelia?

Answer 7

A cyst in the spinal cord

Question 8

What is saddle anaesthesia the telltale symptom in?

Answer 8

Cauda equina