A on Spinal Cord Injured patient - Case Study Example

Case Study Catherine is a18 year old Caucasian female and is single .She met with an accident and was unconscious for 3 weeks preceding it. She broke her neck and was told she could never walk and had also bruised her lungs. The X- ray revealed that her right lungs had severe contusion and she experienced a spinal shock during accident. She could not tolerate to sit and had spinal injury which needed therapy. With the help of Spinal Cord Injury Program she was given exercise regimes. She have had arm and leg injuries in childhood and had eczema.

After accident she had bowel movement problems and also could not move her body properly. She has chills , overheating and has sensing problems. She also encounters slurred speech and weakness in upper extremities and low weakness in lower extremities.Myotomes injury – The myotomes reveal a broken vertebra and a distorted alignment of bones. The cervical spine flexors looks damaged too.Dermatomes injury -There is neural tissue damage due to direct trauma. There is spinal and neurogenic shock.

These have affected her sensory functioning.Patient outcome expectationThe neurological recovery of Catherine is supposed to resume in few months with minor surgery and occupational therapy. The physiotherapy can allow her to walk in couple of months. Tread mill walking and medication can allow her to walk. She can sit and walk and move with locomotors training. The complication factors are the injury in lungs which can create problem in tread-milling and other exercises. The low blood pressure is another issue.

She is also suffering from skin sores due to immobility. Burning sensation on arms and limbs is another issue.