Synonyms

• BSS
• Hemisection of the Spinal Cord
• Partial Spinal Sensory Syndrome
• Hemiparaplegic Syndrome
• Spastic Spinal Monoplegia Syndrome

Disorder Subdivisions

• None

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.
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Resources

Spinal Cord Society
19051 County Hwy. 1
Fergus Falls, MN 56537
USA
Tel: 2187395252
Fax: 2187395262
Internet: http://users.aol.com/scsweb

National Spinal Cord Injury Association
6701 Democracy
Suite 300-9
Bethesda, MD 20817
USA
Tel: 3012144006
Fax: 3018819817
Tel: 8009629629
Email: info@spinalcord.org
Internet: http://www.spinalcord.org

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
31 Center Drive
8A07
Bethesda, MD 20892-2540
Tel: (301)496-5751
Fax: (301)402-2186
Tel: (800)352-9424
Email: braininfo@ninds.nih.gov
Internet: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/

American Spinal Injury Association
345 East Superior
Room 1436
Chicago, IL 60611
Tel: (312)238-6207
Fax: (312)238-0869
Email: mars@northwestern.edu

Spinal Cord Injury Network International
3911 Princeton Drive
Santa Rosa, CA 95405-7013
Tel: (707)577-8796
Fax: (707)577-0605
Tel: (800)548-2673
Email: library@spinalcordinjury.org
Internet: http://www.spinalcordinjury.org

For a Complete Report

This is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. ® (NORD). A copy of the complete report can be obtained for a small fee by visiting the NORD website. The complete report contains additional information including symptoms, causes, affected population, related disorders, standard and investigational treatments (if available), and references from medical literature. For a full-text version of this topic, see http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdblist.html

The information provided in this report is not intended for diagnostic purposes. It is provided for informational purposes only. NORD recommends that affected individuals seek the advice or counsel of their own personal physicians.

It is possible that the title of this topic is not the name you selected. Please check the Synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and Disorder Subdivision(s) covered by this report.

This disease entry is based upon medical information available through the date at the end of the topic. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate. Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most current information about this disorder.

For additional information and assistance about rare disorders, please contact the National Organization for Rare Disorders at P.O. Box 1968, Danbury, CT 06813-1968; phone (203) 744-0100; web site www.rarediseases.org or email orphan@rarediseases.org

Last Updated:  4/25/2008
Copyright  1993, 2003, 2005National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.