A partial cord transection is often caused by which type of injury?

• A. Penetrating injuries such as stabbing or gunshot wounds
• B. Blunt trauma exclusively
• C. Degenerative disease
• D. Ischemic stroke

Answer: (A)

Partial transection happens when the spinal cord is physically cut through in part, rather than merely bruised or compressed. Penetrating injuries, like stabbing or gunshot wounds, are the classic cause because a sharp object can slice across the cord and sever specific tracts while leaving others intact. This direct disruption creates a focal, partial cut, which can produce a Brown-Séquard–type pattern: motor weakness and loss of vibration/proprioception on the same side as the injury, with pain and temperature loss on the opposite side a few levels below.

Blunt trauma usually causes contusion, edema, or compression rather than a discrete transection. Degenerative diseases lead to gradual narrowing and compression over time, not an abrupt partial severing. Ischemic stroke affects blood flow to the cord, causing vascular syndromes rather than a mechanical transection.