Spinal Cord Injury

Question 1

What are congenital causes of spinal cord injury?

Answer 1

• Spina bifida
• Birth trauma
• Spinal muscular atrophy
• Congenital spinal anomaly

Question 2

What are acquired causes of spinal cord injury?

Answer 2

• Degenerative
• Inflammatory
• Trauma-vehicles
• Infection-bacteria
• Tumour-malignancy (secondary)

Question 3

What are the components of the ASIA impairment scale?

Answer 3

• A(Compete)= no motor/ sensory preserved in S5
• B(Incomplete)= Sensory no motor preserved below neuro level to S5
• C(Incomplete)= motor preserved half+ key muscles below neuro level have muscle grade less than 3
• D(Incomplete)= motor preserved half+ muscles below neuro level have muscle grade 3+

Question 4

Describe excessive vagal stimulation

Answer 4

• Lesion above T6 & spinal shock
• Loss of parasympathetic control
• Overwhelming vagal output
• Bradycardia & asystole
• Prevent= atropine before intubation/suctioning

Question 5

Describe autonomic dysreflexia

Answer 5

• Lesion above T6 in established patients
• Present with headache, hypertension, facial flush
• Precipitated by: bladder distension, constipation, skin/soft tissue/bony injuries

Question 6

What are acute complications of spinal injuries?

Answer 6

• UTI
• Urinary stones
• Progressive renal failure
• Resp infection leading to resp failure
• Pressure sores leading to osteomyelitis, amyloid, neoplastic changes

Question 7

What are chronic complications of spinal injuries?

Answer 7

• Progressive neuro decline: pain, spasticity, neuronal drop-out, syringomyelia
• Rheumatic complications: degenerative joint disease, heterotopic ossification