CAUDA EQUINA AND CONUS MEDULLARIS SYNDROMES

Course overview

CAUDA EQUINA AND CONUS MEDULLARIS SYNDROMES HAVE OVERLAP IN ANATOMY AND CLINICAL PRESENTATION. THE CAUDA EQUINA IS A GROUP OF NERVES AND NERVE ROOTS STEMMING FROM THE DISTAL END OF THE SPINAL CORD, TYPICALLY LEVELS L1-L5 AND CONTAINS AXONS OF NERVES THAT GIVE BOTH MOTOR AND SENSORY INNERVATION TO THE LEGS, BLADDER, ANUS, AND PERINEUM. CAUDA EQUINA SYNDROME (CES) RESULTS FROM COMPRESSION AND DISRUPTION OF THE FUNCTION OF THESE NERVES AND CAN BE INCLUSIVE OF THE CONUS MEDULLARIS OR DISTAL TO IT, AND MOST OFTEN OCCURS WHEN DAMAGE OCCURS TO THE L3-L5 NERVE ROOTS. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE CAUSE AND PRESENTATION OF CAUDA EQUINA AND CONUS MEDULLARIS SYNDROMES AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THEIR MANAGEMENT.