Decompression Sickness
Decompression Sickness Incidence of decompression sickness in divers: 1% to 30%. Spinal cord most common site of neurologic lesions. Lesions result from bubbles of normally dissolved gases occluding vessels or…
Electrical and Lightning Injury
Electrical and Lightning Injury High-voltage electric shock or lightning stroke damages CNS, motor neurons, peripheral nerves. Pathology: lesions in brain or spinal cord. Myelomalacia and other nonspecific lesions seen without…
Radiation Injury
Radiation Injury Early (Acute) Effects (1 to 6 Weeks) Edema, headache, nausea, vomiting, alopecia; hyperpigmentation, desquamation of skin. Complications in 50% for daily dose fractions of 750 cGy; <200 cGy…
Neuropathic Pain
Neuropathic Pain Estimated to affect 1% of general population, 10% of people with diabetic neuropathy. Definitions Neurogenic pain: resulting from non-inflammatory dysfunction of peripheral or central nervous system, without peripheral…
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Syndromes arising from compression of brachial plexus or blood vessels in that area. Compression attributed to anatomic anomalies (cervical rib, fibrous bands) but evidence scarce. Symptoms and…
Cranial and Peripheral Nerve Lesions
Cranial and Peripheral Nerve Lesions General Principles of Nerve Injury Injury to single nerve (mononeuropathy): most commonly follows trauma. Toxic or metabolic disorders affect many nerves (mononeuropathy multiplex or symmetric…
Lumbar Spondylosis
Lumbar Spondylosis Age-related degeneration leads to disc bulging and bony spurs, narrowing spinal canal (spinal stenosis); usually confined to one or two lumbar levels, most commonly L4 to L5. Most…
Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy
Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy Cord damage from compression by degenerated intervertebral discs, proliferation of surrounding bone, meninges, supporting tissues of spine. Incidence Radiographic evidence of cervical spondylosis increases in each decade:…
Intervertebral Discs and Radiculopathy
Intervertebral Discs and Radiculopathy Pathogenesis Displaced disc material bulges beneath annulus fibrosus or extrudes through tear in annulus, projecting directly into spinal canal (herniated disc). Compresses nerve roots, spinal cord,…
Spinal Injury
Spinal Injury Epidemiology Annual incidence of spinal injury: 15 to 50/1,000,000. Prevalence about 900/1,000,000. Mortality >50% at scene of accident; about 13% at one year for those who survive acute…
