Spinal Cord Injury
Signs & Symptoms
7
Cervical
12
Thoracic
5
Lumbar
5
4
• Cervical Injury: paralysis below neck (level of injury)
• Quadriplegia: 4 limbs paralyzed
Quad means 4
diplegia= sounds like paralyzed
• BREATHING impaired - Life threatening
Happens to a lot of sports figures
• Thoracic Injury - think T for trunk of body
Parapalegic (2 legs)
Legs, pelvic organs
• Lumbar Injury - think of double L’s
Legs & Leaky bladder
Sacral & Coccygeal
Causes
• Trauma - like a fall from a horse,
or slip & fall, car crash etc.
MEMORY TRICK
C
C
L
L
T
T
CERVICAL INJURY
CAN’T MOVE
LUMBAR
LEGS &
LEAKY BLADDER
THORACIC INJURY
LEGS & TRUNK
Critical Complications
D
D
D
DECRESED BP
DEPENDENT
EDEMA
DYSREGULATION
OF TEMP
LOW
NORMAL
HIGH
Neurogenic Shock think S for Severe hypotension (low BP)
• 3 Ds
• Decreased BP
• Dependent edema
• Dysregulation of Temp.
• Autonomic Dysreflexia
• Abnormal stimulation of the autonomic nervous
of injury
Surgery
PHARMACOLOGY
Neurogenic Shock
Oxytocin
EPINEPHRINE
IV Fluids & Vasopressors
Increase BP
Steroids “-sone”
Prednisone
Muscle relaxers
LOW
NORMAL
HIGH
Dexamethasone
Halo traction device (a crown or vest)
- Key priority is Infection risk!!!
- NO showers - ONLY sponge bath
- Assess pin sites for infection
- Red, warm, smelly drainage