Spinal Cord Injury Flashcards
Most common etiology of SCI
vehicular accidents
Complete Injury
complete absence of sensory and motor function below the level of injury
Incomplete Injury
Sensory, motor, or both functions are partially present below the neurologic level of injury
Spinal Shock
temporary loss or depression of spinal reflex activity that occurs below a complete or incomplete spinal cord injury (incomplete may mimic a complete)
The lower the spinal cord injury
the more likely that all distal reflexes will be absent.
first reflex to return as spinal shock resolves
bulbocavernosus reflex
Spinal shock duration
days - weeks
Anterior Cord Syndrome
Damaged Corticospinal and Spinothalamic tract: Loss of:
Motor function, pain and
temperature sensation distal to the lesion
Central Cord Syndrome
Damaged Corticospinal and
Spinothalamic tracts; Loss of:
Motor function, pain and
temperature sensation in upper extremities more than lower
Brown-Sequard (Hemisection)
Ipsilateral loss of: Motor function,
Proprioception, Vibratory sensation
Contralateral loss of: pain and temp
DC-ML (posterior)
transmitting fine touch, vibration and conscious proprioceptive information
Corticospinal tract
lateral cord - voluntary movement UMN synapse with LMNs at cord level of exit
Spinothalamic tract
transmits information to the thalamus about pain, temperature, itch and crude touch
Causes of Anterior Cord Syndrome
ASpinalA occlusion, tumor, contusion of spinal cord
Prognosis of Anterior Cord Syndrome
Poor
Causes of Central Cord Syndrome
pre-existing spondylosis in ELDERLY + hyperextension, AspinalA occlusion, tumor
Prognosis of Central Cord Syndrome
Good
Rear-ended in car collision most likely to result in what kind of spinal cord injury
central cord (hyperextension)
Causes of Brown-Sequard
penetrating trauma, hematoma, bone injury
Prognosis of Brown-Sequard
Best
Patient who is stabbed most likely suffered what kind of cord injury
Brown/Sequard (penetrating injury)
Huge pupils
high intracranial pressure
How might BP be affected in a spinal cord injury
decreased due to inability to vasoconstrict
If neuro deficit exist
get an MRI
