CORTEXT: Adult Orthopaedics Flashcards
(130 cards)
another word for early OA?
spondylosis
what kind of back pain does this suggest: recurrent relapsing and remitting back pain with no other symptoms?
mechanical back pain
how does spondylosis cause secondary OA?
intervertebral discs lose water content with age = less cushioning and increased pressure on facet joints
treatment for mechanical back pain?
analgesia
physiotherapy
how do you diagnose instability using investigations?
MRI
an acute disc tear in which area usually occurs after lifting a heavy object?
outer annulus fibrosis
why is pain worse on coughing with an acute disc tear?
it increases disc pressure
how long will it take to recover from an acute disc tear?
2-3 months
complications of disc tears?
herniation of nucleus pulposis
impingement of disc on nerve root
what would disc impingement on a nerve root feel like and why?
pain
altered sensation in a dermatomal distribution
what effect does disc impingement have on muscles?
reduced power in a myotomal distribution
reflexes reduced
complications of OA of the facet joints?
osteophytes can impinge on exiting nerve roots, nerve root symptoms, sciatica
treatment for bad OA of facet joints?
surgical decompression with trimming of the impinging osteophytes
cause of the lack of space in spinal stenosis?
spondylosis bulging discs bulging ligamentum flavum osteophytes cauda equina
characteristic presentation of spinal stenosis?
claudication in legs on exertion that is burning, better uphill and with an inconsistent distance
main cause of cauda equina?
very large central disc prolapse compresses all nerve roots of cauda equina
main nerve roots affected by cauda equina syndrome?
S4 , S5
which symptoms constitute a cauda equina until proven otherwise?
bilateral leg pain
paraesthesiae
numbness
altered bladder/bowel function
what investigations should always be done when cauda equna is suspected?
PR exam
urgent MRI
treatment for cauda equina?
urgent discectomy
peak age for spondylolisthesis?
teens
which group are infections of the back most common in?
young children
symptoms of cervical spondylosis?
slow onset stiffness and pain in the neck that can radiate to the shoulders
when would you know nerve root compression was involved in a cervical disc prolapse?
patient complains of a shooting neuralgic pain down a dermatomal distribution with weakness and loss of reflexes