A 28-year-old man is stabbed in the right paravertebral region at the T10 level. He has weakness of the right leg with an extensor plantar response, loss of vibration and joint position sense in the right leg, and loss of pinprick and temperature sensation on the left side beginning a few segments below the level of the wound. Bladder function is preserved. Which pattern of spinal cord injury does this represent?
- A Anterior cord syndrome
- B Brown-Sequard syndrome ✓
- C Central cord syndrome
- D Cauda equina syndrome
Correct answer: B. Brown-Sequard syndrome
Explanation
Hemisection of the cord produces ipsilateral upper motor neuron weakness and loss of dorsal column modalities below the lesion, with contralateral loss of pain and temperature beginning a few segments below, since spinothalamic fibres cross after ascending one to two segments. Central cord syndrome would show upper limb predominant weakness with sacral sparing. Anterior cord syndrome spares vibration and position sense because the dorsal columns are supplied by the posterior spinal arteries.
Reference: Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 21st ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.