Spinal Cord Compression Flashcards Preview

3 Neurology > Spinal Cord Compression > Flashcards

Flashcards in Spinal Cord Compression Deck (31)
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1
Q

the corticospinal tract is __lateral

A

ipsi

2
Q

the spinothalamic tract carry sensation from the ___ side of the body

A

opposite

3
Q

DCML pathway is __lateral

A

ipsi

4
Q

the body’s main sensory tracts carry information from the __ side of the body

A

same

5
Q

causes of acute spinal cord compression?

A

trauma esp to the neck
tumour
infection
spontaneous haemorrhage

6
Q

what brain tumours are most likely to cause acute spinal cord compression

A

bony metastases

7
Q

chronic spinal cord compression is caused by…

A

spondylosis
tumours
RA

8
Q

C4/5 myotome

A

shoulder abduction

9
Q

if a complete cord transection happens, nothing lower than the lesion will work T or F

A

T

10
Q

describe spinal shock

A

flaccid areflexic paralysis

get hypotension

11
Q

brown sequard syndrome is also known as…

A

cord hemisection (half of the spinal cord is injured)

12
Q

what tracts are affected in BS syndrome?

A

DCML
spinothalamic
corticospinal

13
Q

why will a patient with BS syndrome lose temperature and pain sensation on the right side but maintain fine touch on the right side and not the left?

A

patient must have a left sided lesion:
the spinothalamic tract is contralateral so will affect the opposite side to the lesion whereas DCML (for fine touch etc) will be preserved on the right as it only affects the side of the lesion

14
Q

patient with a bump on the head, can’t move their hands, pins and needles…

A

central cord syndrome

15
Q

patients with central cord syndrome present with mainly __ limb weakness

A

upper limb

16
Q

“cape like spinothalamic sensory loss”

A

central cord syndrome

17
Q

what tracts are preserved in central cord syndrome?

A

dorsal column

18
Q

which part of the spinal cord is most vulnerable to ischaemic injury

A

central cord

19
Q

___ limb fibres are most medial in the corticospinal tract

A

upper

20
Q

why are the legs preserved in central cord syndrome?

A

they are located on the lateral aspect of the corticospinal tract in the spinal cord so will avoid the ischaemic injury

21
Q

why do you get cape like spinothalamic sensory disturbance?

A

central cord is usually from a neck injury so only really affects the spinothalamic tract in the area of injury so only get sensory loss over a couple of cervical spinal levels

22
Q

chronic spinal cord compression will present with ___ mtoor neurone signs

A

upper

23
Q

what part of the brain do mets tend to go to?

A

extradural area

24
Q

main mets sources?

A

lung
breast
kidney
prostate

25
Q

what brain tumours arise intramedullary?

A

astrocytoma

26
Q

what brain tumours arise extramedullary?

A

meningioma

schwannoma

27
Q

what do you get hypertrophy of in spinal stenosis?

A

facet joints

28
Q

bacterial sources of an epidural abscess?

A

staph from bloodborne infection

can be TB

29
Q

immediate management of head trauma?

A

immobilise the head
investigate with CT/MRI (if interested in soft tissue)
decompress and stabilise
bolus of methylprednisolone if appropriate

30
Q

what steroid should be given for brain/bone mets?

A

high dose dexamethasone IV

31
Q

main Tx for spinal mets?

A

usually radiotherapy

may have chemo too