SPINAL CORD INJURY FINAL PAPER 2026
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
◉ Autonomic Dysreflexia. Answer: (potentially life threatening
emergency!) HOB elevate 90 degrees, loosen constrictive clothing,
*assess for full bladder or bowel impaction*, (trigger) administer
antihypertensives (may cause stroke, MI, seizure)
◉ skin breakdown
paralytic ileus
autonomic dysreflexia
pneumonia
orthostatic hypotension
spinal shock
neurogenic shock. Answer: spinal cord injury complications:
◉ t6. Answer: In Autonomic dysreflexia where is the injury usually
above?
◉ hypertension
bradycardia
,diaphoretic. Answer: s/s of autonomic dysreflexia: (bladder
distention)
◉ 16-30. Answer: *Young adult* men between ages ___ years have
the greatest risk for SCI.
•Eighty-one percent of people with SCI are male.
◉ 90. Answer: •Almost ___% of patients with SCI are discharged
from the hospital to home or another non-institutional residence.
◉ *42% motor vehicle collisions*
*27% falls*
15% violence
7% sports injuries
8% other miscellaneous cases. Answer: causes of spinal cord
injuries:
◉ Bone displacement
Interruption of blood supply
Traction from pulling on cord. Answer: SCI due to cord compression
by:
,◉ tearing, transection. Answer: •Penetrating trauma, such as
gunshot and stab wounds, can result in ___ and ____.
◉ primary injury. Answer: The initial mechanical disruption of
axons as a result of stretch or laceration is referred to as the __. The
insult may be due to cord compression by bone displacement,
interruption of blood supply to the cord, or traction resulting from
pulling on the cord. Penetrating trauma, such as gunshot and stab
wounds, can result in tearing and transection of the spinal cord.
◉ Secondary injury. Answer: ___ refers to the ongoing, progressive
damage that occurs after the initial injury which may include
ischemia, hypoxia, hemorrhage, or edema. The mechanism for this
injury involves a cascade of metabolic and cellular events that
creates a decrease in overall spinal cord blood flow. This results in
tissue hypoxia and secondary injury.
◉ Free radical formation
Uncontrolled calcium influx
Ischemia
Lipid peroxidation. Answer: ¡Several theories on what causes
ongoing damage at molecular and cellular levels:
◉ Apoptosis. Answer: ___ (cell death) occurs and sometimes may
continue for weeks or months after the initial injury.
, ◉ transection. Answer: Cross sectioning of spinal cord at any level
results in total motor and sensory loss in regions inferior to cut.
◉ autodestruction. Answer: Complete cord damage related to ___.
Hemorrhages appear within 1 hour
Infarction by 4 hours
◉ RBC and PLT aggregation
Release NE, Epi, Serotonin
Vasoconstriction & Thrombosis
SCBF
*or*
Breakdown RBCs
Hgb and Iron released
Increase free radical formation
*or*
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
◉ Autonomic Dysreflexia. Answer: (potentially life threatening
emergency!) HOB elevate 90 degrees, loosen constrictive clothing,
*assess for full bladder or bowel impaction*, (trigger) administer
antihypertensives (may cause stroke, MI, seizure)
◉ skin breakdown
paralytic ileus
autonomic dysreflexia
pneumonia
orthostatic hypotension
spinal shock
neurogenic shock. Answer: spinal cord injury complications:
◉ t6. Answer: In Autonomic dysreflexia where is the injury usually
above?
◉ hypertension
bradycardia
,diaphoretic. Answer: s/s of autonomic dysreflexia: (bladder
distention)
◉ 16-30. Answer: *Young adult* men between ages ___ years have
the greatest risk for SCI.
•Eighty-one percent of people with SCI are male.
◉ 90. Answer: •Almost ___% of patients with SCI are discharged
from the hospital to home or another non-institutional residence.
◉ *42% motor vehicle collisions*
*27% falls*
15% violence
7% sports injuries
8% other miscellaneous cases. Answer: causes of spinal cord
injuries:
◉ Bone displacement
Interruption of blood supply
Traction from pulling on cord. Answer: SCI due to cord compression
by:
,◉ tearing, transection. Answer: •Penetrating trauma, such as
gunshot and stab wounds, can result in ___ and ____.
◉ primary injury. Answer: The initial mechanical disruption of
axons as a result of stretch or laceration is referred to as the __. The
insult may be due to cord compression by bone displacement,
interruption of blood supply to the cord, or traction resulting from
pulling on the cord. Penetrating trauma, such as gunshot and stab
wounds, can result in tearing and transection of the spinal cord.
◉ Secondary injury. Answer: ___ refers to the ongoing, progressive
damage that occurs after the initial injury which may include
ischemia, hypoxia, hemorrhage, or edema. The mechanism for this
injury involves a cascade of metabolic and cellular events that
creates a decrease in overall spinal cord blood flow. This results in
tissue hypoxia and secondary injury.
◉ Free radical formation
Uncontrolled calcium influx
Ischemia
Lipid peroxidation. Answer: ¡Several theories on what causes
ongoing damage at molecular and cellular levels:
◉ Apoptosis. Answer: ___ (cell death) occurs and sometimes may
continue for weeks or months after the initial injury.
, ◉ transection. Answer: Cross sectioning of spinal cord at any level
results in total motor and sensory loss in regions inferior to cut.
◉ autodestruction. Answer: Complete cord damage related to ___.
Hemorrhages appear within 1 hour
Infarction by 4 hours
◉ RBC and PLT aggregation
Release NE, Epi, Serotonin
Vasoconstriction & Thrombosis
SCBF
*or*
Breakdown RBCs
Hgb and Iron released
Increase free radical formation
*or*
