A patient suffers a complete lesion at the C5 spinal cord level. Which pattern of sensory and motor loss would be expected immediately below the level of injury?

• A Ipsilateral loss of fine touch and proprioception; contralateral loss of pain and temperature; ipsilateral LMN at C5 level
• B Complete loss of all sensory modalities and motor function bilaterally below C5 (complete tetraplegia) ✓
• C Contralateral hemiplegia with ipsilateral hemisensory loss below the lesion
• D Loss of pain and temperature only bilaterally; motor and vibration sense spared (central cord syndrome)

Explanation

A complete transection at C5 destroys all ascending and descending tracts at that level, resulting in complete bilateral loss of all sensory modalities and motor function below C5 — complete tetraplegia with loss of fine touch, pain, temperature, proprioception, and voluntary motor control. At C5 itself, there is LMN injury (hypotonia, areflexia); below C5, UMN signs will eventually emerge (spasticity, hyperreflexia) after spinal shock resolves. This is the classic presentation of complete spinal cord injury; option A describes Brown-Séquard syndrome (hemisection).

Reference: Guyton & Hall, Textbook of Medical Physiology, 14th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.