A 62 year old male patient presented with paraplegia, bilateral thermoanesthesia and analgesia below the level of the umbilicus, and loss of bowel and bladder movements. However, the proprioception and vibration senses are intact. Spinal angiography revealed thrombus in the anterior spinal aery. Which of the following regions of the spinal cord is likely to be affected?
Thrombosis of the anterior spinal aery affects the anterior 2/3rd of the spinal cord. The spinal cord is supplied by the longitudinal aeries and segemental aeries. The longitudinal aeries are: Anterior Spinal aery: It supplies anterior 2/3rd of the cord. Occlusion of the anterior spinal aery causes: Bilateral paraplegia below the level of lesion due to damage to bilateral coicospinal tracts. Bilateral thermoanesthesia and analgesia below the level of lesion due to damage to bilateral spinothalamic tracts. Weakness of limb muscles due to damage to bilateral anterior grey horns in cervical or lumbar regions of the cord. Loss of bowel and bladder functions due to damage to the descending autonomic tracts. Sense of position , vibration, and fine touch are intact as the posterior white column is unaffected, which is supplied by the posterior spinal aery. Posterior spinal aery: Its posterior 1/3rd of the cord. Occlusion of the posterior spinal aery causes: Loss of sensation of position, vibration and fine touch due to damage to the bilatera; posterior white columns. The coicospinal tracts, spinothalamic tracts, anterior grey horns, and descending autonomic tracts are unaffected, as they are supplied by the anterior spinal aery. The segmental aeries are branches of aeries outside the veebral column. The segmental aeries give rise to anterior and posterior radicular aeries. These segmental aeries are branches of Deep cervical aery Intercostal aery Lumbar aery Ref: Snell&;s Clinical Neuroanatomy 8th edition Pgno: 472
Whole segment of spinal cord
Anterior 1/3rd of the spinal cord
Anterior 2/3rd of the spinal cord
Anterior 1/2 of the spinal cord
Brain 