Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury

Traumatic spinal cord injury is a complex and devastating event, often resulting in severe and permanent disabilities. It affects a considerable number of people, with an estimated annual incidence of 54 per one million people. For any patient suspected of experiencing an acute spinal injury, essential aspects of care involve prehospital assessment and triage, which includes immediate immobilization by first responders, and careful clinical assessment at the emergency department, including urgent spine imaging. Acute traumatic spinal cord injury is accompanied by intricate and potentially life-threatening respiratory and cardiovascular dysfunction, necessitating timely medical intervention to prevent neurologic compromise and mitigate morbidity.

• 1
  Motor vehicle accidents and falls are the most common causes of traumatic spinal cord injuries.
• 2
  Early recognition of traumatic spinal cord injuries is crucial; therapeutic focus is the avoidance or correction of secondary injuries.
• 3
  Hypotension is associated with poor neurologic outcomes, augmenting mean arterial pressure in the initial phase after injuries can improve functional outcomes.