Question

NAME HBIO 230: Case Study on Nervous System Injury October 30, 2019: Case Study You are an emergency room doctor, and a patient is brought in with a possible head and/or spine injury. The patient was rock climbing and fell from 30 ft and hit the ground. Witnesses say he landed first on his feet, but then was thrown backward, and his back and the back of his head were slammed against a nearby boulder and he fell to the ground. He lost consciousness, but only briefly. He was transported from the scene to the hospital. You perform some diagnostic tests to determine the extent of his injuries. Table 1. Summary of Diagnostic Testing for Mike Smith Sensory Testing Decreased sensation to touch, pressure, and vibration only in the lower extremities Decreased temperature discrimination (cold vs. warm) only in the lower extremities Normal sensation in the upper extremities Motor Testing Decreased strength and movement of lower extremities only during muscle testing Decreased strength and movement of lower abdominal muscles Normal strength in the upper extremities Normal triceps and biceps reflexes in the upper extremity Abnormal response of patellar reflex Pupils equal, round, responsive to light, accommodating (eyes can follow your finger) General Examination All vital signs within normal limits Cognitive testing abnormal (awake and alert, but unable to count backward from 100 by 7s; knows name, uncertain about date and place) 1. Which of the following structures could be damaged according to the test results above? Circle all that| apply a. Ascending tracts in spinal cord b. Descending tracts in spinal cord c. Lumbosacral plexus d. Brachial plexus e. Brainstem f. Sensory cortex g. Motor cortex h. Temporal lobe of the cortex (involved with memory) 2. Which of the following findings could explain the symptoms observed above? Briefly justify your answer. a. Compression fracture of vertebra L1. b. Compression fracture of vertebra C3 C. Subdural hematoma. d. Compression fracture of the coccyx (broken tailbone) e. Broken femur f. Increased intercranial pressure

Answer 1

1.The following structures could be damaged

Ascending tracts of spinal cord

Motor cortex

Temporal lobe of the cortex (involved with memory)

2.Compresion fracture and increased intracranial pressure .

The fracture compresses the nerve in the spinal tract  with the head being hit against the ground which cause increased intracranial pressure in the brain ,numbness and weakness in the arms or legs ,