Acute complications of spinal cord injuries

Spinal cord injuries (SCI) can lead to various complications beyond motor and sensory deficits, affecting the cardiovascular, thermoregulatory, and respiratory systems. Autonomic dysreflexia, a common issue in cervical and high thoracic SCI, involves an uncontrolled sympathetic response that can cause severe hypertension, cerebral hemorrhage, and even death. Respiratory complications are frequent in tetraplegia and a primary cause of morbidity and mortality. Additionally, SCI patients face higher risks of venous thromboembolism and pressure ulcers due to physical inactivity and altered haemostasis.

• 1
  Frequent complications of cervical and high thoracic SCI include neurogenic shock, bradyarrhythmias, hypotension, ectopic beats, abnormal temperature control, and autonomic dysreflexia.
• 2
  Autonomic dysreflexia (AD) is associated with an abrupt, uncontrolled sympathetic response, elicited by stimuli below the level of injury, and it can cause severe hypertension, cerebral haemorrhage and death.
• 3
  Patients with SCI have a higher risk of coagulation disorders and venous stasis due to physical inactivity, altered haemostasis with reduced fibrinolytic activity and increased factor Ⅷ activity.