Spinal Cord injury Flashcards
SPI factors that result in ischemia/ infarction
- compression
- hemorrhage
- traumatic vasospasm
Primary SPI
initial traumatic injury that result in damage to the bones, ligaments, and spinal cord
secondary SPI
mediated through a cascade of events minutes following the trauma (edema, increased spinal canal pressure)
central cord syndrome
loss of motor function
sensation still intact
anterior cord syndrome
damage to the anterior grey and white matter
loss of motor and pain sensation
touch still remains
posterior cord syndrome
damage to the posterior gray and white matter
motor intact
loss of vibratory and touch are lost
brown-sequard syndrome
penetrating injuries that causes hemisection, affecting half of the cord
loss of pain, temp, light touch on opposite side
conus medullaris syndrome
follows damage to the lumbar nerve and conus medullaris
bowel and bladder areflexia
loss of motor and sensory
cauda equina syndrome
occurs from injury to the lumbosacral nerve roots
areflexia of the bowel, bladder, and lower reflexes
spinal cord perfusion pressure
= MAP - CSFP
pressure of 50 mmHg needed to reduce permanent brain damage
level at which loss of sympathetic tone and vasodilation occur
above L2
what level of injury causes bradycardia
above T6
what is autonomic hyperreflexia
- neurologic disorder that occurs in association with resolution of spinal shock and return of spinal cord reflexes
- visceral stimulation (bowel or bladder distention)
what happens below level of injury during autonomic hyperreflexia
- vasoconstriction and hypertension
- bradycardia occurs as a baroreceptor response
- pale, cool, no sweating
incidence of autonomic hyperreflexia
- 85% with injury above T6 will exhibit reflex during general anesthesia
- it is difficult to elicit this response with injury below T10
