The most common injury in rugby resulting in spinal cord injury (SCI) is cervical facet dislocation. We report on the outcome of a series of 57 patients with acute SCI and facet dislocation sustained when playing rugby and treated by reduction between 1988 and 2000 in Conradie Hospital, Cape Town. A total of 32 patients were completely paralysed at the time of reduction. Of these 32, eight were reduced within four hours of injury and five of them made a full recovery. Of the remaining 24 who were reduced after four hours of injury, none made a full recovery and only one made a partial recovery that was useful. Our results suggest that low-velocity trauma causing SCI, such as might occur in a rugby accident, presents an opportunity for secondary prevention of permanent SCI. In these cases the permanent damage appears to result from secondary injury, rather than primary mechanical spinal cord damage. In common with other central nervous system injuries where ischaemia determines the outcome, the time from injury to reduction, and hence reperfusion, is probably important.

In order to prevent permanent neurological damage after rugby injuries, cervical facet dislocations should probably be reduced within four hours of injury.

Introduction The devastating and permanent effects of complete spinal cord injury are well documented. In animal models, olfactory ensheathing cells (OEC) transplanted into areas of complete spinal cord injury have promoted regeneration of the neural elements with reconnection of the descending motor pathways. This reproducible anatomical finding is associated with significant motor functional recovery. Accordingly, cellular transplantation therapies have been advocated for human spinal cord injury. In a single-blind, Phase I clinical trial, we aimed to test the feasibility and safety of transplantation of autologous olfactory ensheathing cells into the spinal cord of three humans with complete spinal cord injury. This paper describes the trial and the surgical procedures and presents twelve month safety data. Methods Six patients with paraplegia resulting from chronic (6 – 36 months post-injury) traumatic spinal cord injury (thoracic) were enrolled in the trial. Exclusion criteria included the presence of vertebral column instability, syringomyelia, an implanted spinal device or instrumentation and the presence of psychological instability. The patients were allocated to a treatment group and a control group. No intervention was undertaken to the control group. Olfactory ensheathing cells were harvested from each subject in the surgery group, grown and purified in vitro. After exposure via laminectomy, durotomy and adhesolysis, the cells were injected into the region of injured spinal cord. All patients are tested on enrollment and then at regular intervals up to three years by a group of assessors who are blinded to the treatment or control group status. These assessments include physical, radiological, neurophysiological and psychosocial parameters. Results All surgery patients exhibited continuity of presumed pia through the cystic region at the site of injury. The spinal cord adjacent to the cyst appeared macroscopically normal. There were no complications of surgery evident in the peri-operative period. At twelve months there was no evidence of tumour formation, syrinx development, clinical or psychosocial deterioration. Discussion The dictum, primum non nocere, is especially relevant to the emerging field of human spinal cord regeneration. Animal models promise such exciting potentials for therapy in this devastating condition, that the possibilities need to be fully explored. Anecdotal, non-trial based reports suggest that equivalent results may be able to be obtained in humans. However, science and care should guide the endeavours in this controversial field. This is the first reported trial of OEC’s in human spinal cord injury. Twelve-month data in a small cohort shows that there is no evidence of adverse events that would preclude completion of the current trial and the development of efficacy trials

Introduction: Complete spinal cord injury patients demonstrate an initial rapid lower limb bone mineral density loss. 1,. 2. ; Reports suggest an increase incidence of lower limb fractures in such patient. 3. Such injuries place an additional burden on patients undergoing rehabilitation. Aims: This prospective study was established to assess whether disuse osteopenia contributes to increased incidence of lower limb fractures in patients following complete spinal cord injury. We compare this cohort to patients who attained mobility after their spinal cord injury. Methods: We prospectively reviewed 128 patients (107 male; 21 female) treated in our unit, a Tertiary Referral Spinal Trauma Unit. All patients presented between January 1994 and July 2002. There were 66 patients 958 male; 8 female) who initially presented to this unit and subsequently attained mobility either while in hospital or during rehabilitation. Both groups were comparable in age and sex profiles. Results: The mean length of follow-up was 58 months for patients with complete neurology and 64 months for those who attained mobility. There were 4 lower limb fractures in the group of patient with complete neurology. Two patients sustained supracondylar femoral fractures with one requiring operative intervention, while 2 patients with mid-shaft tibia/fibula fractures were treated conservatively. Conclusions: Previous papers have shown that patients with complete neurology after spinal injury undergo disuse osteopenia. We report an increase incidence of lower limb fractures in patients with complete neurology compared to patients initially presenting with neurology but attaining full mobility. This difference is statistically significant, (p< 0.05)

Cervical Cord Neuropraxia (CCN) and incomplete cord injuries such as Central Cord Syndrome (CCS) are more prevalent in patients with congenitally narrow spinal canals. The aim of this study was to identify if racial groups were over represented in patients with incomplete cord injuries, and if there was an ethnic variation in mid sagittal cervical spine diameter in the general population. CT scan was used to measure the mid sagittal diameter of the C3 to C7 cervical vertebrae in a group of 166 sequential trauma patients who had CT scans of the cervical spine at Middlemore Hospital. Patient’s race was that declared by the patient. Four different observers used computer digitisation to measure the mid sagittal diameters and mean sagittal diameter for each level. Measurements were compared between races. Maori cervical spine canals were found to be 1mm smaller than Europeans (P values less than 0.005) whilst Polynesians had on average a 2mm smaller mid sagittal diameter compared to Europeans (all P values less than 0.001). This study has demonstrated that Polynesians were over represented in the group of patients who experienced CCS or Transient Cervical Neuropraxia. CT scan assessment demonstrated that both Maoris and Polynesians had significantly narrower canals than their European counterparts. The implications of this study are that Maori and Polynesians involve in high impact activities such as rugby may be at increased risk of incomplete or complete spinal cord injuries. There is however no reliable screening tool available for congenital spinal canal stenosis

Introduction: This is a report on results from the first three years of the British Spinal Registry. Background: The British Scoliosis Society supported a web based scoliosis registry in 2003. At the Britspine meeting in 2004 all four British spine societies (BSS, BASS, BCSS, SBPR) agreed to expand this to include all spinal surgical procedures in the United Kingdom. An extensive marketing and promotional campaign was targeted at all members of the four societies, and online and telephone support was provided. Aims: To report on the clinical results from the first three years registry activity. Methods: The British Spinal Registry is a web based out-come tool, collecting basic demographic and outcome data on spinal surgical procedures in the UK. Over three years from November 2004, 1410 patient data sets were entered. The activity analysis is party carried out using the online diagnostics that are part of the web based software tool, and partly with downloaded data. Results: 73 surgeons from 55 centres entered patient data on 1410 surgical episodes between November 2004 and December 2007. The number of patients entered per year has declined marginally, with 540 patients in the first year, 454 in the second and 416 in the third. The majority of cases entered have a low back diagnosis (842) of whom 106 were part of a BASS audit on discectomy. Of the low back cases 40% had disc herniation and 7.4% had previous surgery. The complications included dural tear (3.7%), nerve root injury (0.4%) and infection (1.1%). The BASS study showed that 70% of UK surgeons were not using intraoperative radiographic localisation of surgical level. There were 448 deformity cases, and of these 223 were idiopathic scoliosis, 49 neuromuscular and 20 congenital. 57% had posterior surgery, 20% anterior and 23% combined. There were no intraoperative deaths, no complete spinal cord injuries, 4 partial spinal cord injuries (0.9%), 6 deep infections (1.3%) and 14 implant revisions (3.1%). Conclusion: The initial clinical results from the British Spinal Registry support the hypothesis that such registries can produce useful audit data. There is no other record nationally of number and type of procedures in spinal surgery in the UK. The complication rates are similar to those reported elsewhere and provide an opportunity for benchmarking and for comparative personal and centre audit. The uptake and usage rates however are low and would not allow scientifically valid clinical results to be reported

Introduction Cervical cord neuropraxia (CCN) and incomplete cord injuries such as central cord syndrome (CCS) are more prevalent in patients with congenitally narrow spinal canals. At Middlemore Hospital, Polynesian and Maori males are frequent in that group of patients who have experienced a single episode of CCN or CCS. The aim of this study was determine if these racial groups were over-represented in patients with incomplete cord injuries, and if there was an ethnic variation in mid-sagittal diameter of the cervical spine in the general population. Methods A chart review of all patients who experienced either CCS or CCN in the absence of significant fracture dislocation or disc prolapse was performed. The ethnic origin of these patients was noted. CT scan was used to measure the mid-sagittal diameter of the spinal canal from C3 to C7 in a group of 166 sequential trauma patients who had CT scans of the cervical spine at Middlemore Hospital. Patient’s race was that declared by the patient. Four different observers used computer digitisation to measure the mid-sagittal diameters and mean sagittal diameter for each level. Measurements were compared between races. Results Between 2000 and 2004, eight patients (7 males, 1 female) were noted to have a central cord syndrome or cervical neuropraxia in the absence of fracture dislocation, acute disc prolapse or developmental spinal stenosis. Five patients were Polynesian, two Maori and one European. CT scan assessment of the 166 patients noted Maori cervical spine canals to be 1mm smaller than Europeans (P values less than .005 at all levels of the C-spine) whilst Polynesians had on average 2mm smaller mid-sagittal diameter compared to Europeans (all P values less than 0.001). Discussion Patients with congenital reduction in spinal canal diameter have an increased risk of transient neuropraxia (Torg J. J Bone Joint Surg. 1996), neurological injury (Matsura P et al. J Bone Joint Surg. 1989) and more significant myelopathy in the presence of trauma (Eismont FJ et. al. Spine 1984). This study demonstrates that Polynesians were over-represented in the group of patients who experienced central cord syndrome or transient cervical neuropraxia. CT scan assessment demonstrated that both Maoris and Polynesians had significantly narrower canals than their European counterparts. Previous studies have demonstrated that South African blacks have significantly narrow mid-sagittal diameter than Caucasians (Taitz C. Clin Anat. 1996). The implications of this study are that Maori and Polynesians involved in high impact activities such as rugby may be at increased risk of incomplete or complete spinal cord injuries. There is however no reliable screening tool available for congenital spinal canal stenosis

Aims

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence and analyze the trends of surgeon-reported complications following surgery for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) over a 13-year period from the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) Morbidity and Mortality database.