L Spinal cord injury
Definition
The spinal cord is vulnerable to trauma, compression by intradural or extradural tumors, and vascular injuries.
Incidence and prevalence
Approximately 11,000 persons each year sustain acute spinal cord injuries that result in paraplegia and quadriplegia. Two-thirds are male, and 70% to 80% are ages 11 to 30 years. The mortality rate before reaching the hospital is 30% to 40%; the mortality rate during the first year decreases to 10%.
Pathophysiology
Spinal cord injuries result from motor vehicle accidents, falls, sport injuries (especially diving), and penetrating injuries (especially gunshot wounds). The spinal cord itself is not usually severed but is injured by compression from bone, foreign body, hematoma, and edema and by ischemia.
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