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Spinal cord syndromes
Syndrome
Segmental
(transection)
syndrome
Clinical
manifestations
Loss of all sensory
modalities, weakness
below affected level;
Causes
Trauma, hemorrhage, epidural abscess,
transverse myelitis, epidural metastasis
:
bladder dysfunction
Dorsal cord
Loss of proprioception,
Tabes dorsalis, Friedreich ataxia, subacute
syndrome
vibratory sensation;
variable weakness and
bladder dysfunction
combined degeneration, AIDS
myelopathy, epidural metastases, cervical
spondylotic myelopathy, multiple sclerosis
Ventral cord
syndrome
Loss of pain and
temperature sensation,
Spinal cord infarction, disc herniation,
radiation myelopathy, HTLV-1
(anterior
spinal artery
syndrome)
weakness, bladder
dysfunction
Brown
Sequard
syndrome
Ipsilateral weakness and
loss of proprioception;
contralateral loss of pain
and temperature
sensation
Knife or bullet injury, multiple sclerosis
Central cord
Segmental loss of pain
Syringomyelia, intramedullary tumor,
syndrome
and temperature,
weakness often greater in
the arms than legs
acute injury in cervical spondylotic
myelopathy
Pure motor
syndrome
Weakness without
sensory disturbance
Poliomyelitis, amyotrophic lateral
sclerosis, HTLV-1, hereditary spastic
paraplegia, lathyrism
Conus
Bladder and rectal
medullaris
syndrome
dysfunction, saddle
anesthesia
Cauda equina
syndrome
Asymmetric multiradicular
pain, leg weakness, and
sensory loss; bladder
dysfunction
:
Graphic 62066 Version 1.0
Disc herniation, trauma, tumors
Disc herniation, arachnoiditis, tumor,
lumbar spine stenosis