Incomplete Cord Syndromes

See kunam et al for an open access review.
There are six patterns of deficit in the spinal cord:
*Ventral cord syndrome
*Central cord syndrome
*Dorsal cord syndrome
*Brown-Séquard syndrome
*Conus Medullaris Syndrome
*Cauda Equina Syndrome
== Features ==
Summary of Incomplete Spinal Cord Syndrome Features
Type 	Tracts Involved 	Lesion Location 	Common Causes 	Clinical Features
Central - small lesion	Anterior commissure where STT fibres cross 	Near the central canal 	Syringomyelia, intra-medullary tumour, hyperextension injury in cervical spondylosis 	Suspected sensory deficit, classic cape distribution in lesion of cervical cord
Central - large lesion	Bilateral STT, CST, dorsal columns (variable), autonomic centre, and anterior horn cells 	Large central lesion 	Syringomyelia, intra-medullary tumour, hyperextension injury in cervical spondylosis 	Disproportionate motor (UMN type) and sensory deficits: greater in upper extremities than in lower extremities, LMN deficit at level of lesion (anterior horn cells), variable loss of proprioception, autonomic dysfunction
Ventral cord 	Bilateral STT, CST, and autonomic center 	Ventral two thirds of cord 	Spinal cord infarction, trauma, multiple sclerosis, disk herniation 	Loss of pain and temperature sensations, weakness, bladder dysfunction
Dorsal cord 	l Predominately dorsal columns; large lesions involve bilateral CST and bilateral autonomic fibers (to variable degree)	Dorsal one-third of cord 	Vitamin B12 deficiency, multiple sclerosis, tabes dorsalis, AIDS* myelopathy, epidural metastases	Loss of proprioception and vibration sensations, sensory ataxia with positive Romberg sign, variable weakness, bladder dysfunction
Brown-Sequard 	Unilateral STT, CST, and dorsal columns 	Hemicord lesion 	Knife or bullet injury, multiple sclerosis, transdural migration of spinal cord 	Ipsilateral weakness (UMN type) and loss of proprioception, contralateral loss of pain and temperature sensations, small band of LMN and sensory deficits at level of lesion
Conus medullaris 	Distal spinal cord containing lumbosacral segment 	Spinal cord at level of T12 through L2 vertebrae 	Disk herniation, trauma, tumors 	Bladder or rectal dysfunction, saddle anesthesia, paraparesis (mixed UMN and LMN types)
Cauda equina 	Lumbosacral nerve roots in spinal canal 	Lesion compressing or involving nerve roots of cauda equina	Disk herniation, arachnoiditis, tumor, lumbar spine stenosis 	Asymmetric multiradicular pain, leg weakness (purely LMN) and sensory loss, bladder dysfunction, areflexia
==Gallery==
File:incomplete-spinal-cord-syndromes-illustrations.jpg|Normal spinal cord
File:incomplete-spinal-cord-syndromes-illustrations ventral.jpg|Ventral cord syndrome
File:incomplete-spinal-cord-syndromes-illustrations dorsal.jpg|Dorsal cord syndrome
File:incomplete-spinal-cord-syndromes-illustrations posterior.jpg|Posterior spinal artery syndrome
File:incomplete-spinal-cord-syndromes-illustrations central.jpg|Central cord syndrome
File:incomplete-spinal-cord-syndromes-illustrations brown sequard.jpg|Brown Sequard syndrome
File:incomplete-spinal-cord-syndromes-illustrations multiple sclerosis.jpg|Multiple Sclerosis
==See Also==
*Cauda Equina Syndrome
*Conus Medullaris Syndrome
==References==
Category:General Spine
Category:Spinal Cord Disorders