Introduction: There are several complications associated with spinal cord injury. The authors propose to evaluate the complications developed during hospitalization of tetraplegic patients treated in our institution.
Materials and Methods: The clinical and imaging records of 20 tetraplegic patients operated between 1995 and 2007 were evaluated (14 men and 6 women; mean age 31.5 years; 16 submitted to surgery using anterior cervical approach, 4 using posterior approach; 8 did steroids protocol during 24h and 12 during 48h; 9 patients were operated less than 48h after trauma and 11 patients after).
Results: Mean hospitalization time was 47.4 days (men 48.9 d, women 23.4 d; anterior approach 50.25 d, posterior approach 39 d; corticosteroids during 24h 34.3 d, 55.3 d in those who did 48h; time until surgery <
48h 43.1 d, >
48h 54.5 d). 100% of patients developed respiratory tract infections.
56.3% of patients developed urinary tract infections (33% in patients doing corticosteroids during 24h, 70% in those who did 48h)
Mean duration of mechanic ventilation was 20.3 days (anterior approach 19.3 d, posterior approach 19.8 d; steroids during 24h 16.7 d, steroids during 48h 21 d; time until surgery <
48h 13.6 d, >
48h 23 d)
In 37.5% of patients a traqueostomy was performed (41.7% in patients submitted to anterior approach, 25% in posterior approach; 16.7% in patients doing steroids during 24h, 50% in those who did 48h; time until surgery <
48h 28.6%, >
48h 50%)
Discussion: This patients are associated with long hospitalization and mechanic ventilation periods. Respiratory tract infection was the most frequent complication. The surgical approach had no influence on mechanic ventilation periods. Those submitted to anterior approach had longer hospitalization periods and higher incidence of traqueostomy. Patients who did corticosteroids during 48h had higher incidence of urinary tract infections and traqueostomy, and longer mechanic ventilation periods. Those operated less than 48h after trauma had shorter hospitalization and mechanic ventilation periods and traqueostomy procedure.
Conclusion: Steroids longer than 24h, anterior cervical approach and time to surgery >
48h tend to be associated with higher complication rates
