electrolyte role in acute spinal shock syndrome

Q: Which electrolyte plays a role in acute spinal shock syndrome?

A) Sodium

B) Potassium

C) Chloride

D) Magnesium

E) Phosphate

Answer: B

Post spinal cord injury, there is flaccid paralysis below the injury, anesthesia, absent bowel, and bladder control, loss of reflex activity, bradycardia, and hypotension. Interestingly, it may cause priapism in males. Usually, many of these functions come back after a few hours or even days.

During state of shock, there is loss of potassium from the injured cells to the extracellular space. Once re-equilibrium of potassium occurs, most of spinal shock symptoms come back, but there could be a spastic paresis. All functions can be regained with proper rehabilitation and involvement of physical therapist, neurologist, neurosurgeon, and sports medicine physician.

#neurology

#neuro-surgery

sports-medicine

References:

1. Ditunno JF, Little JW, Tessler A, Burns AS. Spinal shock revisited: a four-phase model. Spinal Cord 2004; 42:383.

2. SOROKHTIN GN, CHUMAKOVA TA. K voprosu o prirode spinal'nogo shoka. II. Vliianie ionov kaliia i kal'tsiia na razvitie spinal'nogo shoka [Nature of spinal shock. II. Effect of potassium and calcium ions on the development of spinal shock]. Biull Eksp Biol Med. 1959 May;47(5):11-4. Russian. PMID: 13671029.

3. Wielopolski L, Ramirez LM, Spungen AM, Swaby S, Asselin P, Bauman WA. Measuring partial body potassium in the legs of patients with spinal cord injury: a new approach. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2009 Jan;106(1):268-73. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.90435.2008. Epub 2008 Nov 20. PMID: 19023024.