Diagnosis of Spinal Cord Injuries

Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury

• Immediate loss of strength

• Immediate numbness in legs and arms

• Level of injury can predict symptoms

Non-Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury

• Most common type of SCI

• Hard to predict the area affected by the signs and symptoms

Exams

• Need immediate medical attention

• General exam

• Neurological exam– American Spinal Injury

Association test• Tests sensory and

motor skills

High level injuries, C1, C2, C3, lose involuntary functions.

– Breathing– Regulating of blood pressure

C1-C4 May need breathing assistance

C5- No wrist or hand control, some shoulder and bicep control

C6- Includes some wrist control, no hand control

C7 and T1- Can straighten arms, lacking in hand and finger control

T1-T8- Most often include hand control, lack of trunk control

T9-T12- Have most trunk control, can balance sitting up

Lumbar and Sacral- Loss includes hip flexor and leg control

Problems associated with SCI

» Bowel and bladder dysfunction, loss of sexual function

» Loss of autonomic control» Men’s fertility is affected and

women’s mostly is not» Low blood pressure and

reduced control of temperature» Inability to sweat below the

injury» Chronic pain

Quadriplegia- » Cervical neck injuries that

generally cause paralysis of all arms and legs.

Paraplegia- » SCI causing paralysis of the

legs and sometimes the trunk, but not the arms. Injury from T1 and below.

Christopher Reeve(September 25, 1952 - October 10, 2004)•American actor, most famous role was original “Superman” movie, 1978•After SCI, became advocate for Stem Cell Research for SCI victims and other SCI research

Stem cellsMost versatile stem cells require destruction of a human embryo to harvest stem cells that can become any tissue when grown under correct conditions

Highly controversial

Christopher Reeve

Christopher Reeve shattered C1 and C2 vertebrae from a horse riding accident.

He survived because of immediate medical attention and surgery to reattach his head to his body.

Reeve relied on a ventilator to breathe for him and was unable to move anything below his shoulders.

Years after the injury, Reeve began to feel sensations in his left leg, left arm and his spine.

Reeve died from a reaction to an antibiotic he was given to treat a systemic infection from a pressure wound.

From: www.chrisreeveshomepage.com