After a roll-over motor vehicle accident, a patient complains of mid-upper back pain. They have preserved motor function below L5 but loss of sensory function. What condition does this indicate?

The scenario presented describes a patient with preserved motor function below L5, indicating that lower motor neuron function is intact. However, the loss of sensory function suggests that there is a disruption in the sensory pathways.

Posterior cord syndrome is characterized by the loss of proprioception and vibration sense due to damage to the posterior columns of the spinal cord. This syndrome typically results in preserved motor function because the anterior portion of the cord, which contains the descending motor pathways, remains intact. In this case, the preserved motor function along with the sensory loss aligns well with the characteristics of posterior cord syndrome.

Anterior cord syndrome, complete spinal cord injury, and Brown-Séquard syndrome present with different symptom patterns. Anterior cord syndrome often results in loss of motor function and pain and temperature sensation below the lesion, while proprioception might be preserved. A complete spinal cord injury would show total loss of motor and sensory function below the injury level. Brown-Séquard syndrome presents with a unique pattern of ipsilateral motor paralysis and contralateral loss of pain and temperature sensation, which does not match the symptoms described here.

Given the preservation of motor function and the sensory loss, the correct interpretation points towards posterior cord syndrome, as it reflects the specific sensory deficits while maintaining