A 36-year-old man was involved in a motor vehicle collision and received an injury to the spine at the C7 level. The injury transected exactly half (anterior to posterior) of the spinal cord on the patient's right side.
-On which side of the patient would you expect pain and temperature sensations to be absent?
A)Left side
B)Right side
C)Neither side
D)Both sides

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The injury described is a hemisection of the spinal cord, also known as Brown-Séquard syndrome. This condition results in ipsilateral loss of proprioception and motor function due to damage to the corticospinal tract and dorsal columns. However, pain and temperature sensation are lost contralaterally below the level of the injury because these sensory pathways cross over to the opposite side at the level of the spinal cord before ascending to the brain. Therefore, with a right-sided hemisection at C7, pain and temperature sensations would be absent on the left side below the level of the injury.

A 36-Year-Old Man Was Involved in a Motor Vehicle Collision