A 30-year-old man sustains a stab wound to the left side of his thoracic spine. Examination reveals left-sided weakness below the lesion with loss of vibration and joint position sense on the left, while pain and temperature sensation are lost on the right beginning two segments below the level of injury. Which syndrome does this represent?
- A Anterior cord syndrome
- B Central cord syndrome
- C Brown-Sequard syndrome ✓
- D Posterior cord syndrome
Correct answer: C. Brown-Sequard syndrome
Explanation
Brown-Sequard syndrome follows hemisection of the cord, classically from penetrating trauma. The ipsilateral side loses corticospinal motor function and dorsal column modalities (vibration, proprioception), while spinothalamic fibres have already crossed, so pain and temperature are lost on the contralateral side, starting a few segments below the lesion. Central cord syndrome gives greater upper limb than lower limb involvement bilaterally, which does not match this pattern.
Reference: Apley's System of Orthopaedics and Fractures, 10th ed.
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Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.