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The cauda equina (from Latin tail of horse) is a bundle of spinal nerves and spinal nerve rootlets, consisting of the second through fifth lumbar nerve pairs, the first through fifth sacral nerve pairs, and the coccygeal nerve, all of which arise from the lumbar enlargement and the conus medullaris of the spinal cord.
Cauda equina syndrome (CES) is a condition that occurs when the bundle of nerves below the end of the spinal cord known as the cauda equina is damaged. [2] Signs and symptoms include low back pain, pain that radiates down the leg, numbness around the anus, and loss of bowel or bladder control. [1]
In contrast, the venous stasis theory proposes that a combination of low oxygen levels and metabolite buildup are responsible due to venous backup at the cauda equina. [7] Pain with walking may be partially explained by the corresponding increase in nerve root oxygen requirements. [15]
Cauda equina syndrome is a rare syndrome that affects the spinal nerves in the region of the lower back called the cauda equine (Latin for "horses tail"). Injury to the cauda equina can have long lasting ramifications for the individual.
The cauda equina ("horse's tail") is a collection of nerves inferior to the conus medullaris that continue to travel through the vertebral column to the coccyx. The cauda equina forms because the spinal cord stops growing in length at about age four, even though the vertebral column continues to lengthen until adulthood.
Severe back pain extending to the hips and feet, loss of bladder or bowel control, or muscle weakness may result from spinal tumors or cauda equina syndrome. [15] Trauma to the spine, such as from a car accident or hard fall onto the heel or buttocks, may also lead to sciatica. [15]
Such severe spinal stenosis symptoms are virtually absent in lumbar stenosis, however, as the spinal cord terminates at the top end of the adult lumbar spine, with only nerve roots (cauda equina) continuing further down. [15] Cervical spinal stenosis is a condition involving narrowing of the spinal canal at the level of the neck.
Saddle anesthesia is a loss of sensation restricted to the area of the buttocks, perineum and inner surfaces of the thighs.. Asymmetric saddle anesthesia is frequently associated with the spine-related injury cauda equina syndrome. [1]