SPINE + NERVE
Shoulder
Fracture
Hand + Wrist
TATAS
100

This exaggerated thoracic curvature, often from age-related osteoporosis

What is kyphosis?

100

Inability to protract the scapula with medial border winging on wall push-up points to which nerve, and its root levels?

What is the long thoracic nerve, C5-C7?

100

Explain why a mid-clavicle fracture displaces with the medial fragment elevated and lateral fragment depressed, naming both muscles responsible

What is SCM elevating the medial fragment, and gravity/pectoralis major depressing the lateral fragment?

100

The most commonly fractured carpal bone, typically from a FOOSH, is often initially missed on x-ray and misdiagnosed as a wrist sprain. Name the bone, and the complication that can occur if the fracture disrupts its blood supply

What is the scaphoid — disruption of its blood supply can cause delayed or non-union, often requiring surgical intervention?

100

Blocked lymphatic channels in the breast cause this skin appearance

What is peau d'orange (orange peel)?

200

A lumbar puncture is typically performed at this vertebral level or below, since the spinal cord ends around L2

What is L3, L4, or L5?

200

Describe the sensory and motor deficit pattern from axillary nerve injury in a surgical neck fracture

What is loss of lateral brachial skin sensation plus impaired abduction of the deltoid?

200

Describe the deformity from a boxer's fracture and why the 5th metacarpal is most vulnerable

What is a fracture of the 5th metacarpal neck due to the 5th metacarpal's greater mobility?)

200

Name three conditions that can effectively reduce the size of the carpal tunnel and lead to nerve entrapment

What are inflammation of a tendon, infection, growth, or cyst?

200

Tumor growth pulling on the breast's connective tissue ligaments causes these two changes to the nipple and breast tissue

What are nipple retraction/deviation and dimpling?

300

In a posterolateral disc herniation between L4 and L5, this spinal nerve root is usually compressed

What is L5?

300

Explain why subacromial impingement pain occurs specifically in the mid-abduction arc

What is compression of the supraspinatus tendon/bursa between the greater tubercle and coracoacromial arch?

300

Explain the mechanism of a Colles' fracture, the direction of distal fragment displacement, and the deformity this produces

What is: FOOSH, causing dorsal/posterior displacement of the distal radial fragment, producing the "dinner fork deformity"

300

In carpal tunnel syndrome, name the nerve entrapped and the two things it causes: a sensory symptom and a motor symptom

What is the median nerve — causing numbness/tingling of the lateral 3½ digits and weakness/inability to oppose the thumb?

300

This nerve can be damaged during mastectomy due to its location in the axilla

What is the long thoracic nerve?

400

Name the anatomical reservoir where VZV lies dormant, and the route it travels to cause a dermatomal shingles rash

What is the dorsal root ganglion?

400

A pitcher feels a pop with anterior shoulder pain during deceleration; identify the injured structure and its origin

What is the long head of biceps tendon, from the supraglenoid tubercle?

400

A patient with a healed supracondylar fracture presents with fixed flexion contractures of the wrist and fingers, with the forearm muscles replaced by fibrotic tissue. Name this condition and the vascular event that initiated it

What is Volkmann's ischemic contracture, initiated by compartment syndrome/brachial artery compromise causing flexor forearm muscle ischemia and necrosis?

400

Trauma to a flexor tendon can form scar tissue that creates a nodule. Name the condition this causes, and explain what happens to the nodule with extension 

What is trigger finger — the nodule gets stuck at the fibrous digital sheath? 

400

Matectomy raises the risk for which condition due to which nerve damage?

What is winged scapula and long thoracic nerve?

500

Name the structures through a spinal tap from posterior to anterior

  • Skin
  • Supraspinous ligament
  • Interspinous ligament
  • Ligamentum flavum
  • Epidural space
  • Dura mater
  • Arachnoid mater → into the subarachnoid space, where CSF is aspirated
500

Name the three structures typically torn in anterior-inferior shoulder dislocation

What are the labrum, anterior capsule, and subscapularis tendon?

500

Explain why a mid-shaft humeral fracture produces wrist drop despite injuring the nerve at the arm

What is radial nerve loss of all forearm extensors distal to injury, leaving flexors unopposed?

500

Carpal tunnel syndrome often requires surgical release of what structure to relieve pressure on the median nerve?

What is the flexor retinaculum?

500

Name the lymphatic vessels that cross the midline at the midline, allowing breast cancer to spread to the opposite breast

What are the sternal lymphatic vessels?

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