Spinal Cord Injury New Flashcards
Spinal cord injury
Result of trauma
Degenerative loss of motor , sensory and autonomic function
Apoptosis
Programmed cell death
Lesion in spinal cord and similar cells began to die in a programmed aesthetic
Spinal shock
Not a true shock
Loss of deep tendon and sphincter reflexes ..loss of sensation .. flaccid paralysis below the lesions
Only temporary ..last days2weeks
Neurogenic shock
Pipe problem ( vessels)
Vessels vasodilate and increase HR , decrease BP .. blood rushes to peripheral and does not go to the heart to be oxygenated so blood is not going to the brain
Pt present as warm and dry not blue or pale or pink..
Intervention for neurogenic shock
Give 500 ml-1L of fluid to see if it work ..if not D/C
Treat with a vasopresser
Give ted hose, compression hose, sequential compression , belly binder - according to physician orders.
NOT a true shock
How long does it take to diagnosis a spinal cord injury?
One year
How do you know if spinal shock resolved ?
Return of movement or motor skills
How to avoid Hyperextension injury in the hospital
Important to teach pt to use the call light so they dont hurt themselves even more
Compression fracture
Falling on feet
Or directly on head which causes spine to compress
Common cause of flexion rotation injury
Car accident spinning
Look for fractured calcaneus .. tells us large possibility that we have spinal column injury
Forced one way but twisted another
How is SCI classified by?
Mechanism of injury
Level of injury
Degree of injury
Level of injury consist of
Skeletal level and neurologic level
Skeletal level
Bones and ligaments
Neurologic level
Lowest segment of spinal cord with normal sensory and motor function on both sides of body
- if all i can do is nod head .. pretty bad
If cervical cord is involved (c4 injuries)
Can cause tetraplegia ( all 4 limbs)
Para plegia
Two limbs (c6)
Degree of injury
Complete cord involvement
Incomplete (partial ) cord involvement)
Cervical and lumbar
Most common places to be injured
Complete cord involvement
Internal decapitation , gun shot wound, stab wound, penetrating injury to the cord
Incomplete partial cord involvement
Mixture of anything