1. Spinal Cord Injuries

2. Definitions
Spinal cord injury (SCI) is an insult to the spinal cord resulting in a change, either temporary or permanent, in its normal motor, sensory, or autonomic function

3. Definitions Spinal shock
a state of transient physiologic (rather than anatomic) reflex depression of cord function below the level of injury, with associated loss of all sensorimotor functions
(+) Increase in blood pressure (initially) due to the release of catecholamines, followed by hypotension
(+) Flaccid paralysis, including of the bowel and bladder
Symptoms last several hours to days until the reflex arcs below the level of the injury begin to function again (eg, bulbocavernosus reflex, muscle stretch reflex)

4. Definitions Neurogenic shock
Triad of hypotension, bradycardia, and hypothermia
Tends to occur more commonly in injuries above T6, secondary to the disruption of the sympathetic outflow from T1-L2 and to unopposed vagal tone, leading to a decrease in vascular resistance, with associated vascular dilatation

5. Mechanisims of Injury Destruction from direct trauma
Compression by bone fragments, hematoma, or disk material
Ischemia from damage or impingement on the spinal arteries
**Edema could ensue subsequent to any of these types of damage

6. Causes of SCI Trauma Vascular disorders Tumors Infectious conditions
Spondylosis
Iatrogenic injuries, especially after spinal injections and epidural catheter placement
Vertebral fractures secondary to osteoporosis
Developmental disorders

7. History Depends on the cause of the SCI
Discomfort or pain in the back, slight muscle weakness, tingling, other changes in sensation, and, in men, difficulty initiating and maintaining an erection (erectile dysfunction), pain that may radiate down a leg, sometimes to the foot
If the cause is cancer, an abscess, or a hematoma, the back may be tender to the touch in the affected area

8. History
If there is substantial compression, severe muscle weakness, numbness, retention of urine, and loss of bladder and bowel control may happen
If all nerve impulses are blocked, paralysis and complete loss of sensation result

9. Physical Examination

12. Steps in Classification
The following order is recommended in determining the classification of individuals with SCI: 1. Determine sensory levels for right and left sides 2. Determine motor levels for right and left sides 3. Determine the single neurological level 4. Determine whether the injury is Complete or Incomplete

13. Steps in Classification
5. Determine ASIA Impairment Scale (AIS) Grade
If sensation and motor function is normal in all segments, AIS=E

14. Sensory Testing
Sensory testing for light touch and pinprick is done, and is scored as follows
Absent, or of the patient cannot differentiate between the a sharp point or a dull edge 1
Impaired or hyperesthesia 2
Intact

15. Sensory Testing C2 Occipital protuberance C3 Supraclavicular fossa C4
Top of the acromioclavicular joint C5
Lateral side of antecubital fossa C6
Thumb C7
Middle finger C8
Little finger T1
Medial side of antecubital fossa T2
Apex of axilla T3
3rd ICS T4
4th ICS at nipple line T5
5th ICS T6
6th Ics T7
7th ICS T8
8th ICS T9
9th ICS
T10
10th Ics or umbilicus
T11
11th Ics
T12
Midpoint of inguinal ligament L1
Half the distance between T12 and L2 L2
Midanterior thigh L3
Medial femoral condyle L4
Medial malleolus L5
Dorsum of the foot at 3rd MTP joint S1
Lateral heel S2
Popliteal fossa in the midline S3
Ischial tuberosity
S4-S5
Perianal area (taken as 1 level)

16. Sensory Testing Sensory level Sensory index scoring
Most caudal dermatome with a normal score of 2/2 for pinprick and light touch
Sensory index scoring
Total score from adding each dermatomal score with possible total score (= 112 each for pinprick and light touch)

17. Muscle Strength Testing
Muscle strength always should be graded according to the maximum strength attained, no matter how briefly that strength is maintained during the examination
The muscles are tested with the patient supine

18. Muscle Strength Testing5
active movement, full range of motion, against gravity and provides normal resistance
**muscle able to exert, in examiner’s judgement, sufficient resistance to be considered normal if identifiable inhibiting factors were not present 4
active movement, full range of motion, against gravity and provides some resistance 3
active movement, full range of motion, against gravity 2
active movement, full range of motion, gravity eliminated 1
palpable or visible contraction
Total paralysis

19. Muscle Strength Testing
The following key muscles are tested in patients with SCI, and the corresponding level of injury is indicated: C5
Elbow flexors (biceps, brachialis) C6
Wrist extensors (extensor carpi radialis longus and brevis) C7
Elbow extensors (triceps) C8
Finger flexors (flexor digitorum profundus) to the middle finger T1
Small finger abductors (abductor digiti minimi) L2
Hip flexors (iliopsoas) L3
Knee extensors (quadriceps) L4
Ankle dorsiflexors (tibialis anterior) L5
Long toe extensors (extensors hallucis longus) S1
Ankle plantar flexors (gastrocnemius, soleus)

20. Muscle Strength Testing
Note: in regions where there is no myotome to test, the motor level is presumed to be the same as the sensory level
Motor level
Determined by the most caudal key muscles that have muscle strength of 3 or above while the segment above is normal (= 5)
Motor index scoring
Using the 0-5 scoring of each key muscle, with total points being 25 per extremity and with the total possible score being 100

21. ASIA Impairment Scale
The ASIA classification system utilizes motor and sensory examination to identify the severity and level of spinal cord injury
American Spinal Injury Association

22. ASIA Impairment Scale A Complete
No sensory or motor function is preserved in sacral segments S4-S5 B
Incomplete
Sensory, but not motor, function is preserved below the neurologic level and extends through sacral segments S4-S5 C
Motor function is preserved below the neurologic level, and most key muscles below the neurologic level have muscle grade less than 3 D
Motor function is preserved below the neurologic level, and most key muscles below the neurologic level have muscle grade greater than or equal to 3 E
Normal
Sensory and motor functions are normal
Note: AIS E is used in follow up testing when an individual with a documented SCI has recovered normal function. If at initial testing no deficits are found, the individual is neurologically intact; the ASIA Impairment Scale does not apply

23. ASIA Impairment Scale
Perform a rectal examination to check motor function or sensation at the anal mucocutaneous junction—the presence of either is considered sacral-sparing
Definitions of complete and incomplete SCI are based on the above ASIA definition with sacral-sparing
Complete - Absence of sensory and motor functions in the lowest sacral segments ((-) voluntary anal contraction AND all S4-S5 sensory scores is 0)
Incomplete - Preservation of sensory OR motor function below the level of injury, including the lowest sacral segments

24. Other Classifications of SCI
Conus medullaris syndrome
Associated with injury to the sacral cord and lumbar nerve roots leading to areflexic bladder, bowel, and lower limbs, while the sacral segments occasionally may show preserved reflexes (eg, bulbocavernosus and micturition reflexes)
Cauda equina syndrome
Due to injury to the lumbosacral nerve roots in the spinal canal, leading to areflexic bladder, bowel, and lower limbs

25. Muscle Strength Testing
Lower extremities motor score (LEMS)
Uses the ASIA key muscles in both lower extremities, with a total possible score of 50 (ie, maximum score of 5 for each key muscle [L2, L3, L4, L5, and S1] per extremity)
A LEMS of 20 or less indicates that the patient is likely to be a limited ambulator
A LEMS of 30 or more suggests that the individual is likely to be a community ambulator.

26. Other definitions of scoring
Neurologic level of injury
Most caudal level at which motor and sensory levels are intact, with motor level as defined above and sensory level defined by a sensory score of 2
Zone of partial preservation
All segments below the neurologic level of injury with preservation of motor or sensory findings
This index is used only when the injury is complete
Skeletal level of injury
Level of the greatest vertebral damage on imaging

27. Other Classifications of SCI
Central cord syndrome
Due to a cervical region injury and leads to greater weakness in the upper limbs than in the lower limbs, with sacral sensory sparing
Brown-Séquard syndrome
Associated with a hemisection lesion of the cord, causes a relatively greater ipsilateral proprioceptive and motor loss, with contralateral loss of sensitivity to pain and temperature
Anterior cord syndrome
Associated with a lesion causing variable loss of motor function and sensitivity to pain and temperature; proprioception is preserved