Abstract
The definition & etiology of spinal shock remain controversial. Time passed after trauma in initial recovery of any reflex is duration of spinal shock and this duration varies among patients. The factors influencing this duration and its clinical significance are not well studied.
116 patients in spinal shock following SCI were studied for duration of spinal shock with many variables & statistical analysis was done.
Mean duration of spinal shock (MD of SS) was shorter in children, shorter in malnourished, shorter in untrained/laborers, shorter in patients admitted early and shorter in patients without any complications. “MD of SS” was not influenced by sex of patient, associated injuries and by different modalities of treatment.
On statistical analysis of duration of spinal shock with neurological level as a variable “MD of SS “was 1.7 days in cervical cord lesions, 8.2 days in upper thoracic, 15 days in lower thoracic and 17 days in lumbar cord lesions. Such an arithmetical progression was also found at each segmental level i.e. the duration of spinal shock progressively increased at every segmental level. “MD of SS” was 1.36days at C4, 1.60 at C5, 1.72 at C6, 8.1 at T6, 12.4 at T8, 13.1 at T10, 15.3 at T12 & 21.6 at L2.
Higher or proximal the SCI lesion, shorter is the spinal shock duration. Neurological level based segmental progression of spinal shock duration remains unanswered. Does the duration of spinal shock dependant on the cord length/neuronal mass involved/spared?
Theses abstracts were prepared by Professor Roger Lemaire. Correspondence should be addressed to EFORT Central Office, Freihofstrasse 22, CH-8700 Küsnacht, Switzerland.
