Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

Spinal cord injury: patients who had an accident, walked but became spinal paralysed

Spinal Cord volume 32, pages 93–97 (1994)Cite this article

Abstract

Out of 1410 patients admitted to the spinal cord injury unit (SARAH) for rehabilitation during a 10-year period (1981-90) 10 had a missed spinal trauma lesion and became paralysed after having overcome the initial injuries and being allowed to walk. Patients were admitted to hospital with a history of being able to walk after an accident and subsequently developing a neurological deficit. Seven patients had radiological findings compatible with instability of the spine. Four had a head injury with coma and an undetected spinal fracture at the first evaluation in the emergency room. Other associated factors were: spinal stenosis, prolapsed disc, infection, foreign bodies, procedures for reduction and stabilization of the fractured spine. We emphasize the need for very careful clinical study and investigation for the diagnosis of multiinjured patients, especially when there is a concurrent brain injury.

Download PDF

References

  1. Frankel H L . Hancock D O . Hyslop G . Mclzak U . Michaelis L S . Ungar G H et al 1969 The value of postural reduction in the initial management of closed injuries of the spine with paraplegia and tetraplegia. Paraplegia 7: 179–192.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  2. Fried I C (1974) Cervical spinal injury during skeltal traction. JAMA 229: 181–183.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Harrington P R . Dockson J H (1973) Development and further prospects of internal fixation of the spine. J Med Sci 9: 773–778.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Haiden J S . Weiss M H . Rosemherg A W (1975) Management of cervical spinal cord trauma in Southern California. J Ncurosurg 43: 732–736.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Masini M . Neto N H F . Neves E G C (1990) Experience with a spinal cord unit in Brasilia. Brazil. Paraplegia 28: 17–24.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Marshall L F . Knowlion S, Garfin S R . Klauber M R . Eisemberghm . Kopaniky D et al 1987 Deterioration following spinal cord injury. Neurosurg 66: 400–404.

    CAS  Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Monro E . Laborde J . Bahniuk E . Bohlman H H . Samson B (1980) Comparison of fixation of spinal fractures. Clin Orthop 152: 303–310.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Soderstrom C A . Brumback R I (1986) Early care of the patient with cervical spine injury. Orthop Clin North AM 17: 3–13.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Steudel W I Rosentha l . Lorenz R . Merdes W (1988) Prognosis and treatment of cervical spinal injuries with associated headtrauma. Acta Newochir (Wien) 43: S85–90.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Wagner J C . Chehrazi B (1982) The decompression and neurological outcome in acute cervical spinal cord injuries. J Neurosurg 56: 699–705.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Affiliations

  1. The Hospital for Locomotor System Disease - SARAH, Brasilia, DF, Brazil

    M Masini, M R B Alencar, E G de Castro Neves & C F Alves

Authors
  1. M Masini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M R B Alencar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. E G de Castro Neves
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. C F Alves
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Masini, M., Alencar, M., Neves, E. et al. Spinal cord injury: patients who had an accident, walked but became spinal paralysed. Spinal Cord 32, 93–97 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1038/sc.1994.16

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sc.1994.16

Keywords

  • multitrauma
  • spinal paralysis
  • delayed diagnosis

Further reading

Search

Advanced search

Quick links