Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) Practice Exam

Which type of spinal cord injury describes a complete loss of sensation and power below the injury level?

1. Incomplete

2. Complete

3. Transitional

4. Segmental

The correct answer is: Complete

The description of a complete loss of sensation and power below the injury level aligns perfectly with a complete spinal cord injury. In this type of injury, the spinal cord has sustained damage that disrupts all neural pathways at the site of injury, resulting in a total lack of sensory, motor, and autonomic function beneath that level. The term "complete" signifies that there is no preservation of function, encompassing both sensation and voluntary muscle control. In contrast, an incomplete spinal cord injury would allow for some degree of preserved function below the injury level, meaning that patients might retain some sensation or movement, albeit limited. The other terms, transitional and segmental, are not standard classifications used to describe the completeness of spinal cord injuries and do not specifically refer to the totality of functional loss. Instead, they might refer to specific types or scenarios within the broader context of spinal cord pathology but do not capture the essence of what defines a complete spinal cord injury.