A patient is in a severe car accident and suffers damage to the spinal cord. They no longer experience pain in their left leg, but their ability to feel touch and vibration in the left leg remains normal. Which side of the spinal cord was affected by injury?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient's symptoms suggest damage to the spinothalamic tract, which carries pain and temperature sensations and crosses to the opposite side of the spinal cord shortly after entering. Since the patient cannot feel pain in their left leg, but can feel touch and vibration (carried by the dorsal columns, which remain ipsilateral until they reach the medulla), the right side of the spinal cord must be the one affected.

A Patient Is in a Severe Car Accident and Suffers