Spinal Cord Injuries Flashcards
What sensory modalities are carried in the dorsal columns?
- Vibration and conscious proprioception
- Two point-discrimination
- Light touch
What modalities are carried in the corticospinal tract?
Motor
What sensory modalities are carried in the spinothalamalic tracts?
- Pain
- Temperature
What is the most common cause of spinal injury?
Physical trauma, e.g. cars, contact sports, assault, falls, alcohol
How much more likely are males to have spinal cord trauma than womens?
4x
What % of those with a head injury have concurrent C-spine injuries?
10-20% have C-spine injures, and approx 30% of these have other spinal injuries
What % of patients with a head injury have a neurological deficit?
30%
What are the most common sites for spinal injuries?
- 50% in C6 and C7
- 30% in C2
Where are children more likely to obtain spinal injuries?
C1-C2
Why are children more likely to injure C1-C2?
They have heavier heads with lax ligaments
What forces are involved in spinal injuries?
- Hyperflexion
- Hyperextension
- Lateral stress
- Rotation
- Compression
- Distraction
What is hyperflexion?
Forward movement of the head
What is hyperextension?
Backward movement of the head
What is lateral stress?
Sideways movement of the head
What is rotation?
Twisting of the head
What is compression?
Force along the axis of the spine downward from the head or upward from the pelvis
What is distraction?
Pulling apart of the vertebrae
What are the potential injuries that can result flexion?
- Fractures
- Dislocation
- Often lead neurological injury
What fractures can be caused flexion injuries?
- Anterior wedge
- Flexion teardrop
- Clay-shoveller’s
What dislocations can be caused by flexion injuries?
- Anterior sublaxation
- Bilateral interfacet dislocation
- Antlanto-occipital dislocation
- Anterior atlanto-axial dislocation
What fractures can be caused by extension injuries?
Hangman’s teardrop
What dislocation can be caused by extension injuries?
Anterior atlanto-axial dislocation