Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Nervous System > Spinal disorders > Flashcards

Spinal disorders Flashcards

1
Q

What is myelopathy?

A

Damage to the spinal cord

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is myelitis?

A

Inflammation of the sPINAL CORD

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What are the general signs that indicate spinal cord lesion?

A

Mixed UMN and LMN signs
Sensory signs
Sphincter involvement
Autonomic dysfunction

Bilateral, asymmetrical signs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What are the red flags for back pain?

A

Focal neurological deficit
History of trauma
Osteoporosis
Pain at night
Unexplained weight loss
History of malignancy
Fever
Thoracic pain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What are the signs of UMN lesion?

A

Weakness
Spastic paresis
Disuse atrophy
No fasciculations
Hyperreflexia
Hypertonia
Extensor plantar response (Babinski sign)
Upper limb: strong flexors, weak extensors
Lower limb: strong extensors, weak flexors

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What are the signs of LMN lesion?

A

Weakness
Flaccid paresis
Wasting atrophy
Fasciculations
Hyporeflexia
Hypotonia
Flexor plantar response

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What are the sensory signs of spinal cord pathology?

A

Ipsilateral: loss of touch, vibration and joint position sense
Contralateral: loss of pain and temperature sensation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What are some causes of myelopathy?

A

Tumour
Degenerative disease
Trauma
Vascular abnormalities
Demyelination
Autoimmune
Infection
B12 deficiency
Malignancy
Idiopathic

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is the presentation of B12 deficient myelopathy?

A

Hands and feet paraesthesia
Areflexia
First UMN signs- extensor plantars
Degeneration of:
- Corticospinal tracts → paraplegia
- Dorsal columns → sensory ataxia
Painless retention of urine

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is the classification of spinal disorders?

A

Congenital
Infection
Tumour
Emergency
Injury (trauma)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What are the types of spinal congenital anomalies?

A

Spina bifida
Tethered cord syndrome

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is spina bifida?

A

Birth defect in which there is incomplete closure of the spine

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is the clinical embryology of spina bifida?

A

Anterior neuropore failure to close at 24 days= anencephaly
Posterior neuropore failure to close at 26 days = spina bifida

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What blood tests i done during pregnancy to identify open neural tube defects?

A

Alpha fetoprotein obtained from amniocentesis at 16 weeks of pregnancy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What are the risk factors for spina bifida?

A
  • Low levels of folic acid during early pregnancy
  • FH
  • Diabetes
  • Obesity
  • Anti-seizure drugs
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is the classification of spina bifida?

A

Spina bifida occulta- closed
Spina bifida aperta- open
- Meningocele
- Myelomeningocele

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What are the features of meningocele?

A

Lumbosacral
Sac covering is normal skin
Sac contains CSF
Translucent
No neurological deficit
Intact sphincters
Uncommon associated hydrocephalus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What are the features of myelomeningocele?

A

Lumbosacral
Sac covering is membranous
CSF and neural tissue
Transopaque
Neurological deficit
Double incontinence
Associated hydrocephalus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What is the clinical presentation of spina bifida?

A

Abnormal tuft of hair
Back swelling
Lower limb deficits- paraplegia
Sensory deficits- hypoesthesia
Sphincter distubrnace- incontinence
Back deformities- scloiosis
Lower limb deformities- clubbed feet

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What is the treatment of myelomeningocele?

A

Surgical closure within 24hrs
Treat hydrocephalus
Treat bladder/bowel incontinence
Physiotherapy

21
Q

What is tethered cord syndrome?

A

Inelastic anchoring of caudal spinal cord by an abnormally thick or fatty filum terminale

22
Q

What are the types of spinal infections?

A
  • Pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis and discitis
  • Granulomatous infections
  • Epidural infections
  • Postop infections
23
Q

What is pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis and discitis?

A

Infection of bone and IV disc
Most common in thoracic region

24
Q

What are the causative organisms of pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis and discitis?

A

Staph aureus.
Strep

25
Q

What are the features of pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis and discitis?

A

Axial pain
Fever
Radicular numbness, muscle weakness
Elevated CRP

26
Q

What is the management of pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis and discitis?

A

Blood cultures - causative pathogen
Urinalysis and culture- rule out UTI
Broad spectrum antibiotics
Surgery- debridement of infected tissue, decompression of neural structures and stabilization of spine

27
Q

What are the types of spinal tumours?

A

Intradural
- Intramedullary: ependymoma, astrocytoma, hemangioblastoma
- Extramedullary
Extradural
- Metastases
- Bone cancers

28
Q

What are the types of spinal emergencies?

A

Spinal epidural compression (haematoma, abscess)
Cauda equina syndrome
Conus medullaris syndrome

29
Q

What are the features of spinal haematoma?

A

Collection of blood that compresses the spinal cord and nerve roots
Epidural/subdural- knife like pain
Subarachnoid- meningism
Motor weakness
Sensory deficits
Reflex deficits
Bowel/bladder dysfunction

30
Q

What are the features of cauda equina syndrome?

A

Gradual, unilateral presentation
Ankle and knee jerks affected
More severe radicular pain
Saddle anaesthesia
Asymmetric, areflexia, paraplegia
Late presentation of urinary retention

31
Q

What are the features of conus medullaris syndrome?

A

Sudden, bilateral presentation
Only ankle jerks affected
Less severe radicular pain
Saddle anaesthesia
Symmetric, hyperreflexia, distal paresis of lower limbs
Urinary and faecal incontinence

32
Q

What is the aetiology of cauda equina syndrome?

A

Trauma- spinal fracture
Haemorrhage- epidural haematoma
Inflammatory disease
Infection- epidural abscess
Degenerative disease
Spinal tumours

33
Q

What are the 2 types of cauda equina syndrome?

A

Incomplete- no incontinence or retention
Completer- urinary and bowel incontinence

34
Q

What part of the spine is most commonly affected in spinal cord injury?

A

Cervical spine

35
Q

What is primary spinal cord injury?

A

Direct damage to cell bodies
Direct damage to axons

36
Q

What is secondary spinal cord injury?

A

Inflammation
Ischaemia
Demyelination
Scar formation

37
Q

What is spinal shock?

A

Result of severe spinal cord injury
Transient loss of all neurological function below the lesion

38
Q

What reflex is used to check the status of spinal shock?

A

Bulbocavernosus reflex

39
Q

What is the bulbocavernosus reflex?

A

Compression of glans penis or clitoris results in external anal sphincter contraction via the pudendal nerve

40
Q

What are the types of spinal cord injury?

A

Complete- complete loss of all motor and sensory function
Incomplete- residual motor and sensory function

41
Q

What are the types of incomplete spinal cord injury?

A

Central cord syndrome
anterior cord syndrome
Posterior cord syndrome
Brown-Sequard syndrome

42
Q

What are the features of central cord syndrome?

A

Most common
Also called syringomyelia
Associated with cervical fracture and cervical disc herniation
Due to development of fluid filled cyst around spinal canal
UL weakness >LL
Loss of pain and temperature sensation

43
Q

Which tracts are damaged in central cord syndrome?

A

Corticospinal
Spinothalamic

44
Q

What are the features of anterior cord syndrome?

A

Cord infarction in area supplied by anterior spinal artery
Bilateral loss of pain and temperature sensation
Bilateral spastic paresis
Fine touch, proprioception and vibration sense preserved

45
Q

What tracts are damaged in anteriro cord syndrome?

A

Corticospinal
Spinothalamic

46
Q

What are the features of posterior cord syndrome?

A

Posterior spinal artery
Bilateral damage to dorsal columns- bilateral loss of fine touch, proprioception and vibration sense
Spinothalamic tracts spared

47
Q

What tracts are damaged in posterior cord syndrome?

A

Corticospinal maybe
Dorsal columns

48
Q

What are the features of Brown-Sequard syndrome?

A

Hemi cord syndrome
Ipsilateral loss of fine touch, proprioception and vibration sense
Ipsilateral spastic paresis
Contralateral loss of pain and temperature

49
Q

What tracts are damaged in Brown-Sequard syndrome?

A

Corticospinal
Spinothalamic
Dorsal columns

Nervous System (18 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions