| spinal stenosis | An abnormal narrowing of the spinal canal that may be either congenital or acquired. Treatment is generally surgical to widen the spinal canal. Laminectomy may be the indicated surgical procedure to reduce pressure on the spinal cord. (27 Sep 1997) |
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| spinal stroke | Abrupt onset of focal spinal cord dysfunction caused by a disturbance in its blood supply. (05 Mar 2000) |
| spinal tap | A diagnostic procedure where a sterile needle is introduced into the lower spine (L2) to collect cerebrospinal fluid for diagnostic purposes. Chemical analysis, cellular analysis and CSF pressure can all be measured with this procedure. This test can aid in the diagnosis of meningitis, subarachnoid haemorrhage and multiple sclerosis. (27 Sep 1997) |
| spinal tractotomy | Division of the anterolateral quadrant of the spinal cord to section the spinothalamic tract. Synonym: anterolateral tractotomy, spinal tractotomy, spinothalamic cordotomy. (05 Mar 2000) |
| spinal trigeminal nucleus | The long sensory nucleus extending from the caudal border of the pontine sensory nucleus of the trigeminus down through the lateral region of the rhombencephalon into the upper three segments of the spinal cord's dorsal horn; it receives the fibres of the sensory root of the trigeminal nerve which descend along its lateral border as the spinal tract of trigeminal nerve. Synonym: nucleus tractus spinalis nervi trigemini, descending nucleus of the trigeminus, spinal nucleus of the trigeminus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| spinal tumour | A spinal cord tumour is a aggregate if cells that form a mass that can compress the spinal cord. Spinal cord tumours may arise from local structures (for example meninges) or from a cancer from a distant site (i.e. Metastasis). Regardless of the aetiology, all spinal cord tumours cause symptoms from compression on the spinal cord, surrounding nerve roots or blood vessels that supply the cord. Symptoms are variable with the extent and the level of the spinal cord tumour. Common symptoms include back pain that may radiate, numbness and tingling to the lower extremities, muscle weakness in the legs, difficulty walking and loss of bowel and bladder control (incontinence). (27 Sep 1997) |
| spinal veins | The veins that drain the spinal cord; they form a plexus on the surface of the cord from which veins pass along the spinal roots to the internal vertebral venous plexus. Synonym: venae spinales. (05 Mar 2000) |
| differential spinal anaesthesia | A form of diagnostic spinal anaesthesia producing blockade of different types of nerves in the subarachnoid space, based upon their differences in sensitivity to local anaesthetics; also observed during surgical spinal anaesthesia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| dorsal primary ramus of spinal nerve | <anatomy, nerve> The smaller, posteriorly-directed major terminal branch (with the ventral primary ramus) of all 31 pairs of mixed spinal nerves, formed at the intervertebral foramen and turning abruptly posteriorly to divide into lateral and medial branches, both of which will supply the deep (true) muscles of the back. The medial branch (rami medialis ) of the dorsal primary ramus also supplies articular branches to the zygopophyseal joints and the periosteum of the vertebral arch. In the neck and upper back, the medial branch continues through the deep and superficial back muscles to supply overlying skin; in the lower back, the lateral branch does this. Nomina Anatomica lists dorsal primary rami as "rami dorsales" for each group of spinal nerves: 1) cervical (nervorum cervicalium ), 2) thoracic (nervorum thoracicorum ), 3) lumbar (nervorum lumbalium ), 4) sacral (nervorum sacralium ), and 5) coccygeal (nervi coccygei ). Synonym: ramus dorsalis nervorum spinalium, ramus dorsalis, rami posteriores nervorum spinalium, dorsal branch, posterior primary division. (05 Mar 2000) |
| infantile progressive 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) |
| 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) |
| isobaric spinal anaesthesia | Spinal anaesthesia of same density as cerobrospinal fluid so that the level of anaesthesia is not influenced by a change in the position of the patient. (05 Mar 2000) |
| thoracic spinal nerves | Twelve nerves on each side, mixed motor and sensory, supplying the muscles and skin of the thoracic and abdominal walls. Synonym: nervi thoracici. (05 Mar 2000) |
| total spinal anaesthesia | Spinal anaesthesia extensive enough to produce loss of sensation in all extracranial sensory roots. (05 Mar 2000) |
| trigeminal nucleus, spinal | Nucleus of the spinal tract of the trigeminal nerve. It is divided cytoarchitectonically into three parts: oralis, caudalis (trigeminal caudal nucleus), and interpolaris. (12 Dec 1998) |