Final answer:
The complication involving altered sensation or impaired motor function in traction patients is nerve compression, which is associated with various neurological symptoms such as numbness and muscle weakness. Moreover, a pituitary tumor's impact on visual fields can be attributed to its proximity to and potential compression of the optic chiasm, resulting in visual disturbances.
Step-by-step explanation:
The complication that involves altered sensation or impaired motor function in traction patients is c) Nerve compression. This can occur when the traction device or the position of the limb being treated exerts too much pressure on a nerve, leading to symptoms such as numbness, muscle weakness, and impaired coordination and balance. For instance, in the scenario of a motorcycle accident leading to a spinal cord hemisection, the expected sensory deficits would include a loss of motor function on the side of the injury and a potential loss of pain and temperature sensation on the opposite side due to the way sensory pathways cross within the spinal cord.
Similarly, a pituitary tumor's effects on visual fields can be explained by the tumor's proximity to the optic chiasm, where the optic nerves partially cross. As the pituitary gland enlarges, it may compress the optic chiasm resulting in a loss of the lateral (outer) visual fields, known as bitemporal hemianopia. This illustrates how proximity to and interaction with other neural structures can lead to various neurological symptoms.