Anterior cord syndrome
Classification and external resources
Anterior cord syndrome is central diagram
ICD-9	806.02, 806.07, 806.12, 806.17, 806.22, 806.27, 806.32, 806.37

Anterior cord syndrome is a medical condition where the blood supply to the anterior portion of the spinal cord is interrupted. It is characterized by loss of motor function below the level of injury, loss of sensations carried by the anterior columns of the spinal cord (pain and temperature), and preservation of sensations carried by the posterior columns (fine touch and proprioception). A type of incomplete spinal cord injury, anterior spinal syndrome is produced by injury of the motor and sensitive paths of the anterior part of the spinal cord. Patients can feel some type of coarse sensations that go through intact paths of the posterior spinal cord, but movements and the finest sensations are lost. Patients generally worsen from this type of spinal cord injury.

[edit] Clinical presentation

• Complete motor paralysis below the level of the lesion due to interruption of the corticospinal tract
• Loss of pain and temperature sensation at and below the level of the lesion due to interruption of the spinothalamic tract
• Retained proprioception and vibratory sensation due to intact dorsal columns^[1]

[edit] See also

• Spinal cord injury
• Central cord syndrome
• Posterior cord syndrome
• Brown-Sequard Syndrome

[edit] External links

• Duke Orthopedics anterior_cord_syndrome
• Blood supply at frca.co.uk

[edit] References

1. ^ Wheele's Orthopedics

• Wheeles' Orthopedics