Disease Information for Brown-Sequard syndrome

A syndrome associated with injury to the lateral half of the spinal cord. The condition is characterized by the following clinical features (which are found below the level of the lesion): contralateral hemisensory anesthesia to pain and temperature, ipsilateral loss of propioception, and ipsilateral motor paralysis. Tactile sensation is generally spared. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p162).-------------------------------------------- Brown Sequard Syndrome

BSS

Hemiparaplegic Syndrome

Hemisection of the Spinal Cord

Partial Spinal Sensory Syndrome

Spastic Spinal Monoplegia Syndrome

Disorder Subdivisions

General Discussion

Brown-Sequard syndrome is a rare spinal disorder that results from an injury to one side of the spinal cord in which the spinal cord is damaged but is not severed completely. It is usually caused by an injury to the spine in the region of the neck or back. In many cases, affected individuals have received some type of puncture wound in the neck or in the back that damages the spine and causes symptoms to appear.

Characteristically, the affected person loses the sense of touch, vibrations and/or position in three dimensions below the level of the injury (hemiparalysis or asymmetric paresis). The sensory loss is particularly strong on the same side (ipsilateral) as the injury to the spine. These sensations are accompanied by a loss of the sense of pain and of temperature (hypalgesia) on the side of the body opposite (contralateral) to the side at which the injury was sustained.[NORD 2005]--------------------------

.Brown-Séquard"s syndrome

Also known as:

Brown-Séquard"s hemiplegia

Brown-Séquard"s paralysis

Synonyms:

Crossed hemiplegia, hemiparaplegic syndrome, hemiplegia et hemiparaplegia spinalis, spinal hemiparaplegia.

Associated persons:

Charles-Édouard Brown-Séquard

Description:

Hemisection of the spinal cord with the following neurological changes: 1) Paralysis on the same side as the lesion, loss of position and vibratory sense, and ataxia. 2) Loss of pain sense (analgesia) and temperature sensitivity (thermananasthesy) on the side opposite the lesion.[whonamedit.com 2005]

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