II. Pathophysiology

  1. Injury to the anterior two-thirds of the spinal cord
  2. Flexion injury or Anterior Spinal Artery injury
    1. Corticospinal tract injury
    2. Spinothalamic Tract injury
      1. Spinothalamic Tract involvement helps to distinguish from other Spinal Cord Syndromes
  3. Images
    1. CordSyndrome.jpg

III. Causes

  1. Spinal cord crush injury
  2. Epidural Hematoma related Pressure Injury
  3. Hyperflexion injury in athletes (if bony instability)
  4. Anterior Spinal Artery compression with secondary cord ischemia (affects anterior two thirds of spinal cord)
    1. Vascular disease (e.g. elderly)
    2. Cross-Clamping aorta (e.g. AAA repair)

IV. Signs

  1. Motor weakness (below injury level)
  2. Pain and Temperature sense loss (below injury level)
    1. Proprioception and vibratory Sensation are spared

V. Management

  1. Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy
    1. Rehabilitation of motor function

VI. References

  1. Decker in Chorley and Bachur (2014) Overview of Cervical Spinal Cord Injuries..., UpToDate, Wolters-Kluwer
  2. Rodriguez, Winger, Poulo and Glunk (2023) Crit Dec Emerg Med 37(3): 23-9
  3. Wagner (1997) Emerg Med Clin North Am 15:699-711 [PubMed]

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Related Studies

Ontology: Anterior Spinal Artery Syndrome (C0221069)

Definition (MSHCZE) Soubor příznaků rozvíjejících se při myelomalacii uzávěrem radikulárních arterií odstupujících z a. spinalis ant. horizontálně směrem do bílé hmoty míšní a do periferních částí šedé hmoty zadních rohů míšních (tzv. horizontální zásobení míchy). Velmi rychle se rozvíjí paraplegie a syringomyelická disociace čití s obrazem míšního šoku. Prognóza záleží na vyvolávající příčině a rozsahu poškození. (cit. Velký lékařský slovník online, 2013 http://lekarske.slovniky.cz/ )
Definition (MSH) Ischemia or infarction of the spinal cord in the distribution of the anterior spinal artery, which supplies the ventral two-thirds of the spinal cord. This condition is usually associated with ATHEROSCLEROSIS of the aorta and may result from dissection of an AORTIC ANEURYSM or rarely dissection of the anterior spinal artery. Clinical features include weakness and loss of pain and temperature sensation below the level of injury, with relative sparing of position and vibratory sensation. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, pp1249-50)
Concepts Disease or Syndrome (T047)
MSH D020759
SnomedCT 2972007
English Anterior spinal artery syndrome, Anterior Spinal Artery Syndrome, Syndrome, Anterior Spinal Artery, Anterior Spinal Artery Syndrome [Disease/Finding], beck syndrome, anterior spinal artery syndrome, becks syndrome, beck's syndrome, Occlusion of anterior spinal artery, Beck's syndrome, Ventral medullary syndrome, Anterior spinal artery occlusion syndrome, Anterior spinal artery occlusion syndrome (disorder), syndrome; anterior spinal artery
Swedish Främre ryggartärsyndrom
Japanese ゼンセキズイドウミャクショウコウグン, 前脊髄動脈血栓症, 前脊髄動脈解離, 前脊髄動脈症候群
Czech syndrom arteria spinalis anterior, Syndrom arteria spinalis anterior
Portuguese Síndrome da Artéria Espinal Anterior, Síndrome da Artéria Espinhal Anterior, Dissecação da Artéria Espinhal Anterior, Dissecção da Artéria Espinal Anterior, Dissecção da Artéria Espinhal Anterior, Síndrome da artéria espinhal anterior
Finnish Spinalis anterior -oireyhtymä
Russian SPINNOMOZGOVOI ARTERII PEREDNEI SINDROM, MOZGA SPINNOGO ARTERII PEREDNEI SINDROM, MOZGA SPINNOGO PEREDNEI ARTERII SINDROM, МОЗГА СПИННОГО АРТЕРИИ ПЕРЕДНЕЙ СИНДРОМ, МОЗГА СПИННОГО ПЕРЕДНЕЙ АРТЕРИИ СИНДРОМ, СПИННОМОЗГОВОЙ АРТЕРИИ ПЕРЕДНЕЙ СИНДРОМ
Polish Rozwarstwienie tętnicy rdzeniowej przedniej, Zespół tętnicy rdzeniowej przedniej
Hungarian Arteria spinalis anterior syndroma
Norwegian Fremre spinalarterie-syndrom
Spanish síndrome de oclusión de la arteria espinal anterior, síndrome medular anterior (trastorno), síndrome medular anterior, síndrome de oclusión de la arteria espinal anterior (trastorno), síndrome medular ventral, síndrome de Beck, Síndrome de la arteria espinal anterior, Síndrome de la Arteria Espinal Anterior
Dutch syndroom; arteria spinalis anterior, arteria spinalis anterior syndroom, Syndroom, arteria-spinalis-anterior-
French Syndrome des artères spinales antérieures, Syndrome de l'artère spinale antérieure
German Arteria spinalis anterior Syndrom, Arteria-spinalis-anterior-Syndrom, Syndrom der vorderen Spinalarterie
Italian Sindrome dell'arteria spinale anteriore

Ontology: Anterior cord syndrome (C0560649)

Concepts Injury or Poisoning (T037)
ICD10 G83.82
SnomedCT 282785008
English anterior cord syndrome, cord syndrome anterior, anterior cord syndrome (diagnosis), Anterior cord syndrome, Anterior cord syndrome (disorder)
Spanish síndrome de cordón espinal anterior (trastorno), síndrome de cordón espinal anterior