| communicating branches of spinal nerves | Short nerves arising from the initial portion of the ventral primary rami of the thoracic and upper lumbar spinal nerves through which all presynaptic sympathetic nerve fibres must pass to reach the sympathetic trunks; also conveyed by the white rami communicans are visceral afferent (sensory) fibres which were conveyed to the sympathetic trunks in splanchnic nerves. Most fibres conveyed by the white rami communicantes are myelinated. Synonym: rami communicantes nervorum spinalium, communicating branches of spinal nerves. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| communicating rami of spinal nerves | The communicating branches of spinal nerves, small bundles of nerve fibres connecting spinal nerves with sympathetic ganglia; the fibres passing from the ganglion to the spinal nerve are nonmyelinated and are called gray rami communicantes, those passing in the reverse direction are myelinated and are called white rami communicantes. (05 Mar 2000) |
| plexus of spinal nerves | An intermingling of fibre fascicles from adjacent spinal nerves to form a network; the major plexus's are the cervical, brachial, and lumbosacral. Synonym: plexus nervorum spinalium. (05 Mar 2000) |
| muscular atrophy, spinal | Progressive degenerative disorder of motor neurons in the spinal cord, brainstem, and motor cortex, manifested clinically by muscular weakness, atrophy, and corticospinal tract signs in varying combinations. (12 Dec 1998) |
| continuous spinal anaesthesia | Insertion of a catheter into the spinal subarachnoid space and leaving it in situ to permit serial intermittent injection of local anaesthetic solution for prolonged spinal anaesthesia. Synonym: fractional spinal anaesthesia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| progressive infantile spinal muscular atrophy | Transmitted as autosomal recessive on chromosome 5q. Progressive dysfunction of the anterior horn cells in the spinal cord and brainstem cranial nerves with profound weakness and bulbar dysfunction occurring in the first two years of life. Three groups, based on age of clinical onset, are recognised. Synonym: familial spinal muscular atrophy, Hoffmann's muscular atrophy, infantile muscular atrophy, infantile progressive spinal muscular atrophy, progressive infantile spinal muscular atrophy, Werdnig-Hoffmann disease, Werdnig-Hoffmann muscular atrophy. (05 Mar 2000) |
| progressive spinal amyotrophy | A serious neurologic disease that results from the progressive degeneration of the motor neurons. (27 Sep 1997) |
| progressive spinal muscular atrophy | One of the subgroups of motor neuron disease; a progressive degenerative disorder of the motor neurons of the spinal cord, manifested as progressive, often symmetrical, weakness and wasting, typically beginning in the distal portions of the limbs, particularly in the upper extremities, and spreading proximally; fasciculation potentials are often present, but evidence of corticospinal tract disease (e.g., increased deep tendon reflexes, Babinski sign) is not. (05 Mar 2000) |
| hereditary spinal ataxia | Sclerosis of the posterior and lateral columns of the spinal cord, occurring in children and marked by ataxia in the lower extremities, extending to the upper, followed by paralysis and contractures; autosomal recessive inheritance. See: spinocerebellar ataxia. Synonym: Friedreich's ataxia, heredotaxia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| high spinal anaesthesia | Spinal anaesthesia in which the level of sensory denervation extends to the second or third thoracic dermatome. (05 Mar 2000) |
| hyperbaric spinal anaesthesia | Spinal anaesthesia in which spread of local anaesthetic solution in the subarachnoid space is controlled by adjusting the position of the patient when the density of local anaesthetic is made greater than the density of cerebrospinal fluid (i.e., hyperbaric) by the addition of glucose. (05 Mar 2000) |
| hypobaric spinal anaesthesia | <anaesthetics> Spinal anaesthesia in which spread of local anaesthetic solution in the subarachnoid space is controlled by adjusting the position of the patient when the density of the local anaesthetic solution is made less than the density of cerebrospinal fluid (i.e., hypobaric) by the addition of distilled water. (05 Mar 2000) |
| hysterical spinal neuralgia | Simulating Pott's disease, following a trauma. (05 Mar 2000) |
| spastic spinal paralysis | A type of cerebral palsy in which there is bilateral spasticity, with the lower extremities more severely affected. Compare: flaccid paralysis. Synonym: Erb-Charcot disease, infantile diplegia, Little's disease, spastic spinal paralysis, tabes spasmodica. (05 Mar 2000) |
| spinal | <anatomy> Pertaining to a spine or to the vertebral column. Origin: L. Spinalis (18 Nov 1997) |