BMJ Best Practice Podcast Spinal cord compression: an update on diagnosis and management
15 snips
Feb 27, 2023 AI Snips
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Episode notes
Banana Analogy Clarifies Cord Vulnerability
- Spinal cord compression can be visualised simply by squeezing a banana: loss of covering makes the inner banana vulnerable.
- This analogy distinguishes intact coverings (less damage) from exposed cord (high risk).
Act Quickly With Focused Trauma Assessment
- In trauma, take a focused history (what, who, when, how, why) and use clinical exam to localise injury quickly.
- Use plain x‑rays then CT to assess alignment and instability urgently.
Use Pin Sensation To Localise Lesion
- Map sensory level using a safety pin from head to foot to localise the lesion before imaging.
- Direct radiologists to the suspected level so imaging targets the correct area.