Posterior Cord Syndrome Mechanism of Injury, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment
Posterior Cord syndrome is defined as injury in posterior artery of spinal cord. Posterior Cord syndrome is one of the type of incomplete spinal cord syndrome. Posterior Cord syndrome is a rare syndrome with least chances of occurrence. Basically it is an infarction in posterior artery of spinal cord which occurs due to lesions in posterior part of spinal cord. X-RAYS, computed tomography CT scan and magnetic resonance imaging MRI are the diagnostic methods of posterior Cord syndrome. These diagnostic procedures clearly diagnose lesions in dorsal columns of spinal cord but sometimes just imaging is not enough for diagnosis.
Symptoms of posterior Cord syndrome start appearing during tertiary phase of syndrome. Tertiary phase starts after 20 to 30 years of disease incidence. Late occurrence of symptoms is due to initiation of damage of nerve roots. Due to damage, tabes dorsalis and locomotor ataxia occurs. These two conditions further lead to following complications like damage in optic nerve, patient may become blind, pains in head, urinary incontinence and joints may degenerate. Other symptoms include deep tendon areflexia, ipsilateral loss of proprioceptive sensation, patient feels vibration at the site of lesion, pressure and fine touch.
Posterior Cord syndrome occurs due to trauma or injury in spinal cord. Neck hyper flexion injuries commonly cause posterior Cord syndrome. Neck hyper flexion occurs due to car accidents or sports accidents. Dislocation occurs in posterior region of spinal cord and sometimes extensions occur without injury. Some pathological conditions which leads to posterior Cord syndrome include autosomal recessive inherited diseases, schawannoma, astrocytoma, Friedrich ataxia, meningiomas, ependymoma, sarcoma and neurofibromas. When syphilis is not treated successfully, then it may also lead to posterior Cord syndrome. It's pathology shows deficiency of vitamin B12 can also leads to
posterior Cord syndrome.
The treatment selection is based on its symptoms and causes. Treatment selection is also dependant on the source of infarction. Treatment of posterior Cord syndrome is designed with the aim of stabilizing spinal cord. Treatment options include airway adjuncts, injections of dopamine, spinal immobility and precautions and the use of ventilator. There is no definite cure for posterior Cord syndrome, but are designed on the basis of causes. There are three treatment plans according to severity of syndrome. In acute treatment, analgesia is achieved and medical care is provided. Corticosteroids are prescribed for swelling or inflammation. Braces are often used and surgical repair is sometimes recommended. These surgical procedures, helps in stabilizing fracture in spinal cord.
Vitamin B12 us the essential vitamin which is necessary for the the synthesis and maintenance of myelin. Myelin is present in neurons of spinal cord. Whenever deficiency of vitamin B12 occurs, demyelination start initiating in nerves. It also disturbs the connection of nerves in posterior part of spinal cord. As a result hinderence occurs in signal transformation towards brain. The location specificity is not known in this mechanism but spinal cord posterior part is commonly seen.
Posterior Cord Syndrome Symptoms
Symptoms of posterior Cord syndrome start appearing during tertiary phase of syndrome. Tertiary phase starts after 20 to 30 years of disease incidence. Late occurrence of symptoms is due to initiation of damage of nerve roots. Due to damage, tabes dorsalis and locomotor ataxia occurs. These two conditions further lead to following complications like damage in optic nerve, patient may become blind, pains in head, urinary incontinence and joints may degenerate. Other symptoms include deep tendon areflexia, ipsilateral loss of proprioceptive sensation, patient feels vibration at the site of lesion, pressure and fine touch.
Posterior Cord Syndrome Causes
Posterior Cord syndrome occurs due to trauma or injury in spinal cord. Neck hyper flexion injuries commonly cause posterior Cord syndrome. Neck hyper flexion occurs due to car accidents or sports accidents. Dislocation occurs in posterior region of spinal cord and sometimes extensions occur without injury. Some pathological conditions which leads to posterior Cord syndrome include autosomal recessive inherited diseases, schawannoma, astrocytoma, Friedrich ataxia, meningiomas, ependymoma, sarcoma and neurofibromas. When syphilis is not treated successfully, then it may also lead to posterior Cord syndrome. It's pathology shows deficiency of vitamin B12 can also leads to
posterior Cord syndrome.
Posterior Cord Syndrome Treatment
The treatment selection is based on its symptoms and causes. Treatment selection is also dependant on the source of infarction. Treatment of posterior Cord syndrome is designed with the aim of stabilizing spinal cord. Treatment options include airway adjuncts, injections of dopamine, spinal immobility and precautions and the use of ventilator. There is no definite cure for posterior Cord syndrome, but are designed on the basis of causes. There are three treatment plans according to severity of syndrome. In acute treatment, analgesia is achieved and medical care is provided. Corticosteroids are prescribed for swelling or inflammation. Braces are often used and surgical repair is sometimes recommended. These surgical procedures, helps in stabilizing fracture in spinal cord.
Posterior Cord Syndrome Mechanism of Injury
Vitamin B12 us the essential vitamin which is necessary for the the synthesis and maintenance of myelin. Myelin is present in neurons of spinal cord. Whenever deficiency of vitamin B12 occurs, demyelination start initiating in nerves. It also disturbs the connection of nerves in posterior part of spinal cord. As a result hinderence occurs in signal transformation towards brain. The location specificity is not known in this mechanism but spinal cord posterior part is commonly seen.
Posterior Cord Syndrome Mechanism of Injury, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment
Reviewed by Simon Albert
on
June 15, 2019
Rating:
Reviewed by Simon Albert
on
June 15, 2019
Rating:
