SAQ 798 – Trauma – cervical spine injury and cord syndromes

A 25-year-old man presents with neck pain and bilateral upper-limb paraesthesia after a friend jumped onto his neck while he was in a pool. He had brief bilateral lower-limb weakness that resolved, but his upper-limb symptoms persist. His vital signs are normal, with mild midline cervical tenderness and grade 3 power in both upper limbs; the rest of the neurological examination is normal.

A lateral C-spine X-ray is shown below.

List two (2) relevant abnormal findings from this X-ray.

(Marked out of 2.0)

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Complete the table for four cord syndromes, including differentiating clinical features and aetiology.

(Marked out of 8.0)
</p> <table class="saq-prop-table" style="width: 100%; max-width: 100%; table-layout: fixed; border-collapse: collapse;"> <thead> <tr> <th style="overflow-wrap: anywhere; word-break: normal; white-space: normal; vertical-align: top; box-sizing: border-box;">Feature</th> <th style="overflow-wrap: anywhere; word-break: normal; white-space: normal; vertical-align: top; box-sizing: border-box;">Central cord</th> <th style="overflow-wrap: anywhere; word-break: normal; white-space: normal; vertical-align: top; box-sizing: border-box;">Anterior cord</th> <th style="overflow-wrap: anywhere; word-break: normal; white-space: normal; vertical-align: top; box-sizing: border-box;">Posterior cord</th> <th style="overflow-wrap: anywhere; word-break: normal; white-space: normal; vertical-align: top; box-sizing: border-box;">Brown-Sequard</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: anywhere; word-break: normal; white-space: normal; vertical-align: top; box-sizing: border-box;">Aetiology</td> <td style="overflow-wrap: anywhere; word-break: normal; white-space: normal; vertical-align: top; box-sizing: border-box;"></td> <td style="overflow-wrap: anywhere; word-break: normal; white-space: normal; vertical-align: top; box-sizing: border-box;"></td> <td style="overflow-wrap: anywhere; word-break: normal; white-space: normal; vertical-align: top; box-sizing: border-box;"></td> <td style="overflow-wrap: anywhere; word-break: normal; white-space: normal; vertical-align: top; box-sizing: border-box;"></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: anywhere; word-break: normal; white-space: normal; vertical-align: top; box-sizing: border-box;">Clinical features</td> <td style="overflow-wrap: anywhere; word-break: normal; white-space: normal; vertical-align: top; box-sizing: border-box;"></td> <td style="overflow-wrap: anywhere; word-break: normal; white-space: normal; vertical-align: top; box-sizing: border-box;"></td> <td style="overflow-wrap: anywhere; word-break: normal; white-space: normal; vertical-align: top; box-sizing: border-box;"></td> <td style="overflow-wrap: anywhere; word-break: normal; white-space: normal; vertical-align: top; box-sizing: border-box;"></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>

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List one (1) differentiating clinical feature for neurogenic shock and one (1) for spinal shock.

(Marked out of 2.0)
</p> <table class="saq-prop-table" style="width: 100%; max-width: 100%; table-layout: fixed; border-collapse: collapse;"> <thead> <tr> <th style="overflow-wrap: anywhere; word-break: normal; white-space: normal; vertical-align: top; box-sizing: border-box;">Syndrome</th> <th style="overflow-wrap: anywhere; word-break: normal; white-space: normal; vertical-align: top; box-sizing: border-box;">Feature</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: anywhere; word-break: normal; white-space: normal; vertical-align: top; box-sizing: border-box;">Neurogenic shock</td> <td style="overflow-wrap: anywhere; word-break: normal; white-space: normal; vertical-align: top; box-sizing: border-box;"></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="overflow-wrap: anywhere; word-break: normal; white-space: normal; vertical-align: top; box-sizing: border-box;">Spinal shock</td> <td style="overflow-wrap: anywhere; word-break: normal; white-space: normal; vertical-align: top; box-sizing: border-box;"></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>

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Total Score: 0 / 12

Percentage: 0%