Spinal cord injury Know these definitions:
Autonomic dysreflexia Ipsilateral
Brown Sequard Contralateral
Poikilothermic
Paraplegia
Tetraplegia
Quadraplegia
Spasticity
1. What is the difference between primary and secondary Spinal Cord Injury? Can a secondary injury improve?
How long?
2. What happens with reflexes in spinal shock? What do the patients vital signs look like?
3. What are the levels of the spinal cord?
a. What levels innervate the diaphragm?
b. What levels innervate the hands?
4. What is the difference in incomplete versus complete spinal cord injury?
5. Describe major symptoms with each of the following incomplete injuries
a. Central Cord Syndrome
b. Brown-Sequard Syndrome
c. Cauda Equina Syndrome
d. Conus Medullaris Syndrome
6. Define upper versus lower motor neuron lesion.
, 7. What are differences in findings with Upper and Lower Motor Neuron Injuries?
Reflex Responses (hyperactive or Muscle Activity
hypoactive) (spastic or flaccid)
Upper Motor Neuron
Lower Motor Neuron
8. Who is at risk for Autonomic Dysreflexia (Autonomic Hyperreflexia)?
9. What are key symptoms with Autonomic Dysreflexia and priorities?
10. What is an overall goal for a spinal cord injury patient?
11. At which point do we stop assisting a patient with motor skills if you know that area was not affected?
12. How do you manage skin integrity for those who are paraplegic?
13. How will you assess a patient to determine if the patients spinal shock is improving?
14. At which spinal level does the patient need the items below:
to be on a ventilator?
Help with feeding?
Help learning to cough with assistance?
Autonomic dysreflexia?
DVT risk?
Low back Proper positioning: Lay on side with pillow in between legs
pain/laminectomy How will you assess the patients surgical site?
Autonomic dysreflexia Ipsilateral
Brown Sequard Contralateral
Poikilothermic
Paraplegia
Tetraplegia
Quadraplegia
Spasticity
1. What is the difference between primary and secondary Spinal Cord Injury? Can a secondary injury improve?
How long?
2. What happens with reflexes in spinal shock? What do the patients vital signs look like?
3. What are the levels of the spinal cord?
a. What levels innervate the diaphragm?
b. What levels innervate the hands?
4. What is the difference in incomplete versus complete spinal cord injury?
5. Describe major symptoms with each of the following incomplete injuries
a. Central Cord Syndrome
b. Brown-Sequard Syndrome
c. Cauda Equina Syndrome
d. Conus Medullaris Syndrome
6. Define upper versus lower motor neuron lesion.
, 7. What are differences in findings with Upper and Lower Motor Neuron Injuries?
Reflex Responses (hyperactive or Muscle Activity
hypoactive) (spastic or flaccid)
Upper Motor Neuron
Lower Motor Neuron
8. Who is at risk for Autonomic Dysreflexia (Autonomic Hyperreflexia)?
9. What are key symptoms with Autonomic Dysreflexia and priorities?
10. What is an overall goal for a spinal cord injury patient?
11. At which point do we stop assisting a patient with motor skills if you know that area was not affected?
12. How do you manage skin integrity for those who are paraplegic?
13. How will you assess a patient to determine if the patients spinal shock is improving?
14. At which spinal level does the patient need the items below:
to be on a ventilator?
Help with feeding?
Help learning to cough with assistance?
Autonomic dysreflexia?
DVT risk?
Low back Proper positioning: Lay on side with pillow in between legs
pain/laminectomy How will you assess the patients surgical site?
