What is the name of the structure that houses and protects the spinal cord as it travels down the vertebral column? A. spinal foramen B. spinous foramen C. foramen magnum D. spinous process - A. spinal foramen The spinal foramen is the opening through each of the vertebrae that contains the spinal cord as it travels down the vertebrae. Among other purposes, it provides a protection function as it totally encases the spinal cord. Which of the following populations is most at risk for spinal-column injury and should be immobilized on the basis of mechanism alone? A. middle-aged women B. the elderly C. All are at equal risk and therefore should be immobilized. D. middle-aged men - B. the elderly The populations most at risk for spinal-column injury are males between the years of 15 and 24 years, infants and young children, and the elderly. Elderly patients may be immobilized on mechanism alone, despite no overt findings of spinal-cord injury. You have a patient who is unresponsive after sustaining significant brain trauma when a car he was working under fell off the jack and crushed his skull. During Advanced EMT management, immobilization is also provided. Why? A. The patient must be immobilized to perform digital or nasal intubation, should it be warranted. B. Significant injuries to the head may also damage the neck. C. The patient may have fallen before sustaining the head injury. D. It is mandated by protocol. - B. Significant injuries to the head may also damage the neck. The Advanced EMT should remember that any significant trauma to the neck may also result in brain trauma, just as significant trauma to the brain may be of sufficient mechanism to also cause spinal trauma. Therefore, patients with suspected brain injury should be immobilized as a precautionary measure. It is more common for spine injuries to cause paralysis: A. to only one leg or the other. B. to only the upper extremities. C. to all four extremities (quadriplegia). D. on only one side (hemiplegia). - C. to all four extremities (quadriplegia). It is more common for spine injuries to cause paralysis to all four extremities (quadriplegia) or to the lower half of the body only (paraplegia). Loss of function confined to the right or left side of the body (hemiplegia) is more typical of a brain injury or stroke. Conflicting or partial loss of motor or sensory function may be an indication of an incomplete spinal-cord injury. You are dispatched for a fall at the local mall. When you arrive, you are led by security to a location on the sidewalk where a 43-year-old male patient is lying on his back. He is alert and oriented and tells you that he was running to cross in front of a car when he tripped on the curb, striking his head on the sidewalk. He then rolled onto his back and could no longer move his arms, hands, or legs. At what spinal level has his injury likely occurred? A. low cervical or high thoracic B. midthoracic C. lumbar D. midcervical - A. low cervical or high thoracic His spinal injury is likely low cervical or high thoracic. Specifically at C7 to T1, it is at this level and below that the spinal nerves exit that provide innervation to voluntary muscle below the clavicals.