A nurse encountered a patient 3 months after the patient had sustained a crushing injury to his cervical spinal cord at the level of C₆. Although the patient was paralyzed, his limbs were thrashing, his face was bright red, and he was sweating profusely. What was happening?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient is likely experiencing mass reflex, which is a massive, involuntary reflex due to hyperexcitability of the spinal cord following a spinal cord injury. This can lead to thrashing of limbs, sweating, and flushing of the face. Horner's syndrome is characterized by drooping eyelids, pupil constriction, and decreased sweating on one side of the face, and is not related to spinal cord injury. Vagotomy is the surgical removal of some or all of the vagus nerve and would not cause the symptoms described. Raynaud's disease is a condition in which arteries in the fingers and toes spasm, causing pain and discoloration, and is not related to spinal cord injury.

A Nurse Encountered a Patient 3 Months After the Patient