While on duty at the hospital one night a patient is brought in who had been in a motor vehicle accident which caused a hemi-section of the spinal cord at T12 level on the right side. What are the clinical manifestations of this injury and why?
Hello, If a patient is having a right side venisection of spinal cord at level of T12 then the effect will be at lower limb starting just above the groin level. There will be following effects- 1. Injury to corticospinal tract on same side produces spastic paralysis on the same side of the body below the level of the lesion.  At the level of the lesion, there will be flaccid paralysis of the muscles supplied by the nerve of that level (since lower motor neurons are affected at the level of the lesion). 2. Injury to fascicles gracilis or fascicles creates (dorsal column) results in ipsilateral loss of vibration and proprioception (position sense) as well as loss of all sensation of fine touch.  3. Injury to the spinothalamic tract leads to pain and temperature sensation being lost from the contra lateral side beginning one or two segments below the lesion. Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further. Take care