Acute Spinal Cord Injury
What is an acute spinal cord injury?
Acute spinal cord injury (SCI) is due to a traumatic injury that either results in a bruise (also called a contusion), a partial tear, or a complete tear (called a transection) in the spinal cord. SCI is a common cause of permanent disability and death in children.
About 12,000 people a year sustain a spinal cord injury. As many as 231,000 to 311,000 people in the US are living with a spinal cord injury, according to the Spinal Cord Injury Information Network. More than half of all SCIs occur among young people between the ages of 16 and 30 years. The majority of SCI victims (80.9 percent) are male.
What causes an acute spinal cord injury?There are many causes of SCI in children. The more common injuries occur when the area of the spine or neck is bent or compressed as in the following:
- birth injuries, which typically affect the spinal cord in the neck area
- motor vehicle accidents (where the child is either riding as a passenger in the car or is struck as a pedestrian)
- sports injuries
- diving accidents
- trampoline accidents
- violence (gun shots or stab wounds)
What are the symptoms of an acute spinal cord injury?After a traumatic event, a person may have varying degrees of symptoms associated with the severity and location of the SCI. The location of the injury on the spinal cord will determine how severe the injury will be. For example, an injury that damages the cervical spine (in the neck area) can cause loss of muscle function or strength in all four extremities (arms and legs). This is referred to as tetraplegia (formerly called quadriplegia). An injury of this type often requires mechanical breathing assistance, as with a ventilator, as the chest muscles may also be weakened. An injury to a lower part of the spinal cord that causes paralysis and loss of function in the legs and lower body is called paraplegia.
The extent of the damage to the spinal cord determines whether the injury is complete or incomplete. A complete injury means that there is no movement or feeling below the level of the injury. An incomplete injury means that there is still some degree of feeling and movement below the level of the injury.
Initially after a spinal cord injury, the patient may experience spinal shock, which causes loss or decrease in feeling, muscle movement, and reflexes. As swelling subsides, other symptoms may appear depending on the location of the injury. Generally, the higher up the level of the injury is to the spinal cord, the more severe the symptoms. For example, an injury to the neck, at C1 or C2 (the first and second vertebrae in the spinal column), affects the respiratory muscles and the ability to breathe. A lower injury, in the lumbar vertebrae, may affect nerve and muscle control to the bladder, bowel, and legs.
The symptoms of SCI may include:
- muscle weakness
- loss of voluntary muscle movement in the chest, arms, or legs
- breathing problems
- loss of feeling in the chest, arms, or legs
- loss of bowel and bladder function
How are acute spinal cord injuries diagnosed?The full extent of the SCI may not be completely understood immediately after the injury, but may be revealed with a comprehensive medical evaluation and diagnostic testing. The diagnosis of SCI is made with a physical examination and diagnostic tests. During the examination, the physician obtains a complete medical history of the child and family and inquires as to how the injury occurred. Trauma to the spinal cord can cause neurological problems and requires further medical follow-up.
Diagnostic tests may include:
- blood tests
- x-ray - a diagnostic test that uses invisible electromagnetic energy beams to produce images of internal tissues, bones, and organs onto film.
- computed tomography scan (Also called a CT or CAT scan.) - a diagnostic imaging procedure that uses a combination of x-rays and computer technology to produce cross-sectional images (often called slices), both horizontally and vertically, of the body. A CT scan shows detailed images of any part of the body, including the bones, muscles, fat, and organs. CT scans are more detailed than general x-rays.
- magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) - a diagnostic procedure that uses a combination of large magnets, radiofrequencies, and a computer to produce detailed images of organs and structures within the body.
Treatment of an acute spinal cord injury:Specific treatment for an acute spinal cord injury will be determined by your child's physician based on:
- your child's age, overall health, and medical history
- the extent of the SCI
- the type of SCI
- your child's tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies
- expectations for the course of the SCI
- your opinion or preference
There is no cure to repair a damaged or bruised spinal cord. The severity of the SCI and the location determines if the SCI is mild, severe, or fatal.
Surgery is sometimes necessary to evaluate the injured cord, stabilize fractured back bones, decompress (or release) the pressure from the injured area, and to manage any other injuries that may have been a result of the accident. Treatment is individualized depending on the extent of the condition and the presence of other injuries in the child.
Treatment may include:
- observation and medical management in the intensive care unit
- medications, such as corticosteroids (to help decrease the swelling in the spinal cord)
- mechanical ventilator, a breathing machine (used to help the child breathe)
- Foley catheter - a tube that is placed into the bladder that helps to drain the urine into a collection bag.
- feeding tube - placed through the nostril to the stomach or directly through the abdomen into the stomach to provide extra nutrition and calories for the child.
Life-long considerations for a child with a SCI:A traumatic event that results in a SCI is devastating to the child and the family. The healthcare team educates the family after hospitalization and rehabilitation on how to best care for their child at home and outlines specific clinical problems that require immediate medical attention by the child's physician.
The disabled child requires a focus on maximizing his/her capabilities at home and in the community. Positive reinforcement will encourage him/her to strengthen his/her self-esteem and promote independence.
A child with a SCI requires frequent medical evaluations and diagnostic testing following hospitalization and rehabilitation to monitor his/her progress.