Spinal Cord Injury Flashcards
(22 cards)
What is the function of the dorsal column
- fine touch
- 2 point discrimination
- vibration
- conscious proprioception
What is the function of the spinothalamic
- Pain
- Course touch/pressure
- Temperature
What is the function of spinocerebellar
- unconscious proprioception
- conscious-ordination
What is the function of the corticospinal tract
- voluntary conscious movements
What is the function of the rubrospinal tract
- tone - mainly flexors of upper limb
What is the function of the reticulospinal tract
- tone
Postural axial tone
Respiratory and circulatory systems
What is the function of the vestibulosinal tract
- extensor activity
- balance
- posture
What is the function of the tectospinal tract
Auditory and visual stimuli
What are the 2 causes of spinal cord injury
Traumatic and non-traumatic
Causes of traumatic SCI
destruction - direct trauma
Compression - by bone, hepatoma or disc material
Ischaemia - impingement on spinal arteries
Causes of non-traumatic
Degenerative disc disease
Spinal infarct
Tumour
Inflammation of spinal cord
Viral infection
Developmental abnormalities
What are the 2 types of SCI
Complete and incomplete
What is a complete SCI
Complete loss of function below injury
1. Motor
2. Sensory
3. Autonomic dysfunction
….. finish ……
Incomplete SCI
Some sparing of neural activity below the level of lesion
Other classifications of SCI
quadriplegia
- impairment at cervical segments of spinal cord
- affects all 4 limbs
Paraplegia
- impairment at thoracic, lumbar and sacral segments
- involve lower limbs
Vulnerable areas of the vertebral column
Cx spine - C5-C7
Thoracolumbar - T12
What are the 4 types of incomplete SCI
Central cord syndrome
Anterior cord syndrome
Brown-sequard syndrome
Posterior cord syndrome
Cauda equine syndrome
What is central cor syndrome
- central part of spinal cord affected
Motor dysfunction on upper limbs
Bladder dysfunction
Corticospinal and spinothalamic tracts
Causes: - hyperextension of neck
What is anterior cord syndrome
- ant 2/3 of spinal cord affected
Motor paralysis below lesion
Loss of pain and temp sense
Retained proprioception and vibration
Cause: - disc herniation
Brown - sequard
- only half cord is affected
Motor deficit and numbness to touch and vibration to SAME SIDE of lesion
Loss of pain and temp sense ON OPPOSITE SIDE
Cause : - stab to cervical or thoracic spine
Posterior cord syndrome
- Only dorsal column affected
Sensory disturbance and less motor loss - as corticospinal tracts stays in tact
Compression to post section of spinal cord
Cause:
Post impact /hyperextension
Cauda equina
- LOWER MOTOR NEURON LESION
Motor and sensory loss in lower limbs
Saddle anaesthesia, bilateral LL sensory changes
Cause: - lumbar stenosis
- Spinal trauma
- Metastatic tumour
