Chronic Illness NCLEX Questions Related

Review Chronic Illness NCLEX Questions related questions and content

Percutaneous cervical cordotomy:

  • A. Is performed under general anaesthesia.
  • B. Occurs by entry of a needle into the intervertebral foramen between cervical vertebrae C4 and C5.
  • C. Involves thermoablation of the anterior spinothalamic tract.
  • D. Is performed on the same side as the pain.
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Percutaneous cervical cordotomy (PCC) relieves cancer pain via targeted nerve destruction. It's done under local anesthesia with sedation, not general, to monitor patient response (e.g., pain relief, side effects) during stimulation. The needle enters at C1-C2, not C4-C5, targeting the lateral spinothalamic tract contralateral to the pain not the anterior tract explicitly, though terminology varies. Thermoablation destroys pain fibers, confirmed by test stimulation. It's performed opposite the pain side due to crossed spinothalamic pathways. Complete numbness isn't typical; sensory loss is partial. Thermoablation's specificity using radiofrequency to interrupt pain transmission defines PCC's efficacy, minimizing damage to adjacent motor tracts while achieving analgesia.