Spinal cord compression history and symptoms: Difference between revisions

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*[[Back pain]] is the most common presenting symptom in almost all acute cases of [[spinal cord compression]].<ref name="pmid18420159">{{cite journal |vauthors=Cole JS, Patchell RA |title=Metastatic epidural spinal cord compression |journal=Lancet Neurol |volume=7 |issue=5 |pages=459–66 |year=2008 |pmid=18420159 |doi=10.1016/S1474-4422(08)70089-9 |url=}}</ref><ref name="pmid28187806">{{cite journal |vauthors=Flanagan EP, Pittock SJ |title=Diagnosis and management of spinal cord emergencies |journal=Handb Clin Neurol |volume=140 |issue= |pages=319–335 |year=2017 |pmid=28187806 |doi=10.1016/B978-0-444-63600-3.00017-9 |url=}}</ref><ref name="RopperLongo2017">{{cite journal|last1=Ropper|first1=Alexander E.|last2=Longo|first2=Dan L.|last3=Ropper|first3=Allan H.|title=Acute Spinal Cord Compression|journal=New England Journal of Medicine|volume=376|issue=14|year=2017|pages=1358–1369|issn=0028-4793|doi=10.1056/NEJMra1516539}}</ref>
*[[Back pain]] is the most common presenting symptom in almost all acute cases of [[spinal cord compression]].<ref name="pmid18420159">{{cite journal |vauthors=Cole JS, Patchell RA |title=Metastatic epidural spinal cord compression |journal=Lancet Neurol |volume=7 |issue=5 |pages=459–66 |year=2008 |pmid=18420159 |doi=10.1016/S1474-4422(08)70089-9 |url=}}</ref><ref name="pmid28187806">{{cite journal |vauthors=Flanagan EP, Pittock SJ |title=Diagnosis and management of spinal cord emergencies |journal=Handb Clin Neurol |volume=140 |issue= |pages=319–335 |year=2017 |pmid=28187806 |doi=10.1016/B978-0-444-63600-3.00017-9 |url=}}</ref><ref name="RopperLongo2017">{{cite journal|last1=Ropper|first1=Alexander E.|last2=Longo|first2=Dan L.|last3=Ropper|first3=Allan H.|title=Acute Spinal Cord Compression|journal=New England Journal of Medicine|volume=376|issue=14|year=2017|pages=1358–1369|issn=0028-4793|doi=10.1056/NEJMra1516539}}</ref>
*All cases of spinal cord compression presents with [[Sensory system|sensory]], [[Motor control|motor]] and [[autonomic dysfunction]].
*All cases of spinal cord compression presents with [[Sensory system|sensory]], [[Motor control|motor]] and [[autonomic dysfunction]].
*Sensory symptoms include altered sensation below a certain level (e.g., pin, touch, vibration, temperature).
*Sensory symptoms include altered sensation below a certain level (e.g. pin, touch, vibration, temperature).
*Motor symptoms include [[hemiplegia]] or [[hemiparesis]] (sparing the face), [[paraplegia]] or [[paraparesis]], [[tetraplegia]] or [[tetraparesis]].  
*Motor symptoms include [[hemiplegia]] or [[hemiparesis]] (sparing the face), [[paraplegia]] or [[paraparesis]], [[tetraplegia]] or [[tetraparesis]].  
*Autonomic symptoms include [[constipation]], [[urinary retention]], [[dizziness]] (due to [[hypotension]]), cold, shivering, and drowsiness (due to [[hypothermia]]), [[erectile dysfunction]], [[abdominal pain]] and [[distension]] (due to [[ileus]]), [[syncope]] (due to [[bradycardia]]).
*Autonomic symptoms include [[constipation]], [[urinary retention]], [[dizziness]] (due to [[hypotension]]), cold, shivering, and drowsiness (due to [[hypothermia]]), [[erectile dysfunction]], [[abdominal pain]] and [[distension]] (due to [[ileus]]), and  [[syncope]] (due to [[bradycardia]]).
*The following table describes the most common symptoms of spinal cord compression depending upon the anatomic level involved
*The following table describes the most common symptoms of spinal cord compression depending upon the anatomic level of involvement.
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
!Type of spinal  
!Type of spinal  
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|[[Central cord syndrome]]
|[[Central cord syndrome]]
|Sensory loss is very rare
|Sensory loss is very rare
|Upper extremity weakness
distal muscles are involved  more than proximal
|
|
* Upper extremity weakness
* Distal muscles are involved more than proximal
|<nowiki>-</nowiki>
|-
|-
|[[Brown-Sequard syndrome|Brown-Séquard syndrome]]
|[[Brown-Sequard syndrome|Brown-Séquard syndrome]]
|Ipsilateral position and vibration sense loss
|
Contralateral pain and temperature sensation loss
* Ipsilateral position and vibration sense loss
 
* Contralateral pain and temperature sensation loss
|Motor loss ipsilateral to cord lesion
|Motor loss ipsilateral to cord lesion
|
|<nowiki>-</nowiki>
|-
|-
|[[Anterior cord syndrome]]
|[[Anterior cord syndrome]]
|Loss of pin and touch sensation
|
* Loss of pin and touch sensation


Vibration, position sense preserved
* Vibration, position sense preserved
|Motor loss or weakness below the level of compression
|Motor loss or weakness below the level of compression
|
|<nowiki>-</nowiki>
|-
|-
|Transverse cord syndrome
|Transverse cord syndrome
|Loss of sensation below level of compression
|Loss of sensation below level of compression
|Loss of voluntary motor function below the level of compression
|Loss of voluntary motor function below the level of compression
|Sphincter control lost
|Loss of urinary sphincter control
|-
|-
|Conus medullaris syndrome
|Conus medullaris syndrome
| rowspan="2" |[[Saddle anesthesia]]
| rowspan="2" |
* [[Saddle anesthesia]] in cauda equina syndrome


Sensory loss may range from patchy to complete transverse pattern
* Sensory loss may range from patchy to complete transverse pattern
| rowspan="2" |Weakness may be of upper motor neuron type
* Peri-anal anaesthesia in conus medullaris syndrome
| rowspan="2" |Sphincter control impaired
| rowspan="2" |
* Weakness may be of upper motor neuron type in conus medullaris syndrome.
* Lower motor neuron symptoms in cauda equina syndrome
| rowspan="2" |Impaired sphincter control  
|-
|-
|[[Cauda equina syndrome]]
|[[Cauda equina syndrome]]

Revision as of 17:58, 18 April 2017

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] ; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Aditya Ganti M.B.B.S. [2]

Overview

Back pain is the most common presenting symptom in almost all acute cases of spinal cord compression. Symptoms of spinal cord compression depends upon the anatomic level involved. All cases of spinal cord compression presents with sensory, motor and autonomic dysfunction. Sensory symptoms include altered sensation below a certain level (e.g., pin, touch, vibration, temperature). Motor symptoms include hemiplegia or hemiparesis (sparing the face), paraplegia or paraparesis, tetraplegia or tetraparesis. Autonomic symptoms include constipation, urinary retention, dizziness (due to hypotension), cold, shivering, and drowsiness (due to hypothermia), erectile dysfunction, abdominal pain and distension (due to ileus), syncope (due to bradycardia).[1][2][3]

History

The significant information that needs to focus on the history of the patient includes

Common Symptoms

Type of spinal

involvement

Symptoms
Cervical Headache

Neck, shoulder or arm pain

Loss of sensation over the upper extremities

Motor weakness of neck, shoulder, and arm

Thoracic Pain in the chest and/or back

Loss of sensation below the level of the compression

Paralysis of respiratory muscles

Lumbosacral Low back pain that may radiate down the legs

Weakness in the legs and feet

Loss of sensation in the legs and feet

Bladder and bowel problems

Sexual dysfunction

Foot drop

Decreased or absent reflexes in the legs

Syndromes Associated with Spinal cord compression

Lesions may develop gradually or acutely and be complete or incomplete. Incomplete lesions often present as distinct syndromes as follows:

Sensory dysfunction Motor dysfunction Sphincter dysfunction
Central cord syndrome Sensory loss is very rare
  • Upper extremity weakness
  • Distal muscles are involved more than proximal
-
Brown-Séquard syndrome
  • Ipsilateral position and vibration sense loss
  • Contralateral pain and temperature sensation loss
Motor loss ipsilateral to cord lesion -
Anterior cord syndrome
  • Loss of pin and touch sensation
  • Vibration, position sense preserved
Motor loss or weakness below the level of compression -
Transverse cord syndrome Loss of sensation below level of compression Loss of voluntary motor function below the level of compression Loss of urinary sphincter control
Conus medullaris syndrome
  • Sensory loss may range from patchy to complete transverse pattern
  • Peri-anal anaesthesia in conus medullaris syndrome
  • Weakness may be of upper motor neuron type in conus medullaris syndrome.
  • Lower motor neuron symptoms in cauda equina syndrome
Impaired sphincter control
Cauda equina syndrome
Referred pain
Dermatomes

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Cole JS, Patchell RA (2008). "Metastatic epidural spinal cord compression". Lancet Neurol. 7 (5): 459–66. doi:10.1016/S1474-4422(08)70089-9. PMID 18420159.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Flanagan EP, Pittock SJ (2017). "Diagnosis and management of spinal cord emergencies". Handb Clin Neurol. 140: 319–335. doi:10.1016/B978-0-444-63600-3.00017-9. PMID 28187806.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Ropper, Alexander E.; Longo, Dan L.; Ropper, Allan H. (2017). "Acute Spinal Cord Compression". New England Journal of Medicine. 376 (14): 1358–1369. doi:10.1056/NEJMra1516539. ISSN 0028-4793.

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