An Overview of the Methodology Used to Develop Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Acute and Intraoperative Spinal Cord Injury

Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) are created to help doctors and patients make the best decisions about healthcare. These guidelines are based on a thorough review of research and aim to improve patient outcomes and standardize care. The development of these guidelines involves a multidisciplinary group, including individuals with lived experience of spinal cord injury, to ensure that different perspectives are considered. The guidelines are also reviewed by experts before they are finalized. The GRADE approach is used to determine the strength of the recommendations, considering the quality of evidence, patient preferences, and resource use. The goal is to provide clear and actionable recommendations that can be implemented in clinical practice.

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  The development of CPGs for SCI followed the methodology proposed by the Institute of Medicine, the Guideline International Network, and the GRADE Working Group.
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  The CPGs address key questions related to the timing of surgical decompression, hemodynamic management, and identification/management of intraoperative SCI.
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  The GRADE 'evidence-to-recommendation' framework was used to translate evidence into actionable recommendations, considering factors like benefits, harms, patient values, and resource use.