Contents:
- Medical Video: Critical Care Paramedic 9: Neurologic Emergencies
- What is Brown Sequard Syndrome?
- What causes Brown Sequard Syndrome?
- What are the symptoms of Brown-Sequard Syndrome?
- How do doctors diagnose Brown-Sequard Syndrome?
- How do you deal with Brown-Sequard Syndrome?
Medical Video: Critical Care Paramedic 9: Neurologic Emergencies
Most conditions numb actually harmless and can heal itself. But if you have been involved for a while motorized accident or falling down is fatal enough to injure the spine, and constantly experiencing numbness on the injured side, you should consult a doctor. This could be a symptom of Brown Sequard Syndrome. Is it dangerous?
What is Brown Sequard Syndrome?
Brown Sequard Syndrome is a series of conditions, not diseases, caused by trauma to the spinal cord nerves in the spine. The term Brown-Sequard Syndrome is taken from the name Charles Edouard Brown-Sequard, a neurologist who first discovered this condition in 1949.
What causes Brown Sequard Syndrome?
The main cause of the appearance of Brown Sequard Syndrome is spinal cord trauma, especially in the spinal cord. Trauma can include injury due to gunshot wounds, stab wounds, or blunt blows (eg falling from a motor) that occur on one side of the spine.
Brown-Sequard Syndrome can also be caused by non-traumatic causes, such as malignant tumors, cysts, radiation exposure, nerve hernias, stress stress on nerves, circulatory system disorders, to infections, such as meningitis, herpes, Tuberculosis, myelitis, and syphilis.
What are the symptoms of Brown-Sequard Syndrome?
As a result of spinal cord damage, Brown-Sequard Syndrome can cause a loss of the body's ability to feel physical sensations, such as pain, vibration, amused, touch, pressure, to changes in hot and cold temperatures. Spinal cord trauma also causes a loss of proprioceptive ability, namely your ability to know where your body is and where it is on the injured side.
There are also other symptomatic sets of respiratory tract disorders (such as coughing), inability to resist urinationand constipation, which if it occurs is referred to as the symptoms of Brown-Sequard Syndrome Plus.
How do doctors diagnose Brown-Sequard Syndrome?
If you experience symptoms like the one above, especially after experiencing an injury or having a condition / disease that is a risk factor, your doctor can refer you to a neurologist to check the condition of your spinal cord. In addition, an MRI or X-ray examination can also be done. X-rays are especially very important because the doctor can know the location of the injured bone and can find out the location of foreign objects that cause the wound more clearly.
In emergency cases, CT scanning may be recommended to be able to see the anatomy and stability of the bone to plan surgery. The position of a foreign body and its relationship with the spine and blood vessels can also be seen through a CT scan.
Meanwhile, MRI can provide a better picture if there is swelling and disruption in the spine. However, the use of MRI imaging is only permissible when foreign metal objects that cause this syndrome have been removed. This is due to the presence of magnetic waves from MRI that can attract these metal objects in the body so that they can aggravate the nerve condition of the patient and prevent the doctor from diagnosing damage to the Bone marrow.
How do you deal with Brown-Sequard Syndrome?
To be able to overcome this syndrome, it is also necessary to have support and cooperation with neurologists, nurses and physiotherapists.
The type of treatment for Brown-Sequard Syndrome will depend on the root cause of the problem and is intended to prevent further complications. If your condition looks stable (blood pressure, breathing rate, and breathing are good) and there is no damage to the trachea or esophagus, treatment can be focused on investigations and clinical treatment.
Patients who experience Brown-Sequard Syndrome due to puncture wounds will generally be immediately taken to the ED to be injected with tetanus prevention vaccines and antibiotics to prevent infection.
High-dose steroids are often used in some cases of Brown Sequard Syndrome caused by injuries to the spinal cord. Steroids are used to prevent inflammation and improve blood capillary function. The doctor may also prescribe antibiotics, pain relief, and / or laxatives depending on other symptoms that accompany this syndrome.
Surgery is usually done when there is pressure on the spinal cord, CSF leak in the brain's central nervous system, and spinal instability.
