Spinal Cord Injury Flashcards
What is tetraplegia/quadriplegia? What parts of the body does it affect?
Impairment or loss of sensory and motor function in the cervical segments of the spinal cord
Affects UEs, LEs, trunk, and possibly respiratory
What is paraplegia? What parts of the body does it affect?
Impairment or loss of sensory and or motor function in the thoracic, lumbar, or sacral segments of the spinal cord.
Affects LEs and trunk
UEs are spared
What is the most common (highest incidence) type of SCI?
Incomplete tetraplegia = 45%
How many pairs of spinal nerves are there?
31 pairs if spinal nerves
8 cervical 12 thoracic 5 lumbar 5 sacral 1 coccygeal
At what level does the spinal cord end?
L1/L2
What arteries provide blood supply to the spinal cord?
1 anterior spinal artery
2 posterior spinal arteries
What are 3 causes of spinal cord injury?
Trauma
Disruption of the blood supply
Infection
What can happen to the spinal and spinal cord as a result of trauma?
Compression, traction, or transection of the cord
Usually resulting in fracture / dislocation of vertebrae
True or False: Cord does not need to be severed in order for permanent injury to occur
TRUE
90% of traumatic injuries occur when the neck is _____.
FLEXED
Flexion/Extension load trauma typically results in what? How are they typically treated?
Result in significant bone and ligamentous damage as well as neurological injury
Often require surgical stabilization
What typically occurs as a result of an axial load trauma? Are these patients stable?
Burst fracture
Neurological damage as a result of splintering of vertebral bones into spinal cord
Patient is often orthopedically stable
What are examples of a high velocity trauma? How much damage to the spinal cord is typically seen?
Gun shot, MVA, sports
Generally cause more damage to spinal cord
What are examples of a low velocity trauma? How much damage to the spinal cord is typically seen?
Falls, sports
Associated with less damage and a brighter prognosis
True or False: Most of the functional limitation seen following traumatic SCI is caused by transection of the spinal cord
FALSE
Transection of the SC is not the primary cause of functional limitations seen in SCI
What is the primary injury that takes place within 18 hours of a SCI?
Death of axons directly disrupted by trauma.
***If spine remains unstable, additional traumatic injury may occur.
What are the 5 things that take place secondary to SCI? (occurs within a few weeks of SCI)
- Ischemia/hypoxia: caused by disruption of ANS, damage to vessels, and presence of vasoconstrictors
- Biochemical: cell death (apoptosis) up to 4 spinal segments away from initial injury
- Demyelination: caused by damage to oligodendrocytes
- Edema
- Scarring: around lesion and dura
What is spinal shock? When does it occur relative to the onset of a SCI? What does it cause?
Occurs immediately after traumatic SCI
Thought to be due to an abrupt loss of connections between the brain and spinal cord
What reflexes are typically lost with areflexia following spinal shock? What system is impaired as a result?
- Loss of bulbocavernous reflex
Mediated at S2-S4
Tests internal/external anal sphincter - Loss of Babinski response
***Impairment of autonomic regulation
Disruption of blood supply following an SCI can lead to what 5 phenomena?
- Trauma to the arterial spinal arteries
- Thrombosis/embolic (“spinal stroke”)
- Hematoma
- Cardiac arrest
- Aortic aneurysm
What 4 inflammatory conditions can lead to SCI?
- Tuberculosis
- HIV
- Syphillis
- Transverse myelitis
What is transverse myelitis? How long does it typically last? Is it recurrent?
Result of a viral infection that damages and destroys myelin
Occurs on both sides of one level
Can last several hours to several weeks
Usually not recurrent
What is Syringomyelia ?
Development of a cavity (syrinx) in cord due to cyst formation and gliosis
May be post-traumatic
May be seen in other diseases and syndromes (eg: HIV, Chiari Malformation, Meningitis)
What is the AIS Impairment Scale (ISNCSCI)? What does it assess?
Tool used to classify spinal cord injury
Assess motor/sensory impairment (sensation and MMT)
Assess different levels for left vs right impairment
Contains definition for Zone of Partial Preservation (“ZPP”) of sensory or motor function
What is the rationale behind AIS sensory testing?
Rationale: used to determine a complete versus incomplete injury, and to obtain the sensory level and sensory scores.
Key sensory points: There are 28 specific skin locations on each side of the body. (DERMATOMES)
Each site is reliably located in relation to bony anatomical landmarks
Why is a rectal exam needed? What are the components of a rectal exam?
Needed for determination of incomplete injury
- Deep anal pressure (“DAP”)
- Voluntary anal contraction
- Bulbocavernosus reflex: determines conus integrity.
ASIA A Classification
Complete.
No motor or sensory function is preserved in the sacral segments S4-5.
ASIA B Classification
Incomplete.
Sensory but not motor function is preserved below the neurological level and includes the sacral segments S4-5
ASIA C Classification
Incomplete.
Motor function is preserved below the neurological level, and more than 50% of key muscles below the neurological level have a grade of < 3.
ASIA D Classification
Incomplete.
Motor function is preserved below the neurological level, and at least half of key muscles below the neurological level have a grade of >3
ASIA E Classification
Normal sensory and motor function
A complete SCI injury is characterized by the absence of _______
Absence of sensory or motor function in the lowest sacral segment (S4-5)
An incomplete SCI injury is characterized by _______
partial preservation of sensory &/or motor function in the lowest sacral segment (S4-5).
- Sensory: at the anal mucocutaneous junction & deep anal sensation.
- Motor: presence of voluntary contraction of the external anal sphincter
What is the zone of partial preservation (ZPP)? When is it used?
Refers to those dermatomes and myotomes below the neurological level that remain partially innervated
***Used only with complete injuries (absence of anal sphincter control and sensation)
What are the 5 recognized clinical syndromes of SCI?
Central Cord Syndrome Brown Sequard Syndrome Anterior Cord Syndrome Conus Medullaris Syndrome Cauda Equina Syndrome
What is the most common incomplete SCI?
Central Cord Syndrome
What is central cord syndrome? What occurs as a result?
Cervical lesion due to hyperextension of the neck
- Produces sacral sparing
- Greater weakness in UEs than in LEs.
- May also produce bladder dysfunction
- Various forms of sensory loss below the level of the lesion.
What are the outcomes for central cord syndrome?
75% walk
50% regain bowel and bladder control
25% regain UE function
What is Brown Sequard Syndrome? How will the patient typically present? What is the outcome?
Lesion that damages 1/2 of spinal cord (hemisection)
Ipsilateral proprioceptive and motor loss
Contralateral loss of sensitivity to pain and temperature beginning a few levels below the level of the injury
Patient presents with hemiparesis
Outcome: Generally expected to be positive
What is Anterior Cord Syndrome? What are 2 causes of anterior cord syndrome?
Injury affects anterior 2/3 of spinal cord
Causes:
- Disrupted blood flow to that part of cord “Anterior Spinal Artery Syndrome”
- Flexion injuries
What occurs as a result of anterior cord syndrome? What is the outcome?
Loss of motor function below level of injury
Loss of sensitivity to pain and temperature
Preservation of proprioception, light touch, and deep pressure.
Outcome: 10%-20% chance of muscle recovery
Conus medullaris syndrome is a _____ motor neuron injury
LOWER
What is conus medullaris syndrome? How do patients typically present?
Injury of the sacral cord (“conus”) and lumbar nerve roots within the spinal canal
(Neural segments S2 and below)
- Presents with lower motor neuron deficits of anal sphincter and bladder
- Areflexic bladder and lower extremities
Cauda Equina Syndrome is a _____ motor neuron injury
LOWER