INCOMPLETE TRAUMATIC SPINAL CORD INJURIES: TREATMENT OUTCOME AND RELATIONSHIP TO NEUROPLASTICITY OF BRAIN AND SPINAL CORD

*Mathias Ogbonna Nnanna Nnadi and Olufemi Babatola Bankole

ABSTRACT

Summary: I am not unrewarding as my brother complete says incomplete spinal cord injury. The knowledge, careful handling and proper care of incomplete spinal injury is rewarding in neurological recovery. Neurological recovery is being attributed to neuroplasticity of the brain and the spinal cord. Objectives: To determine the treatment outcomes in incomplete traumatic spinal cord injury patients managed in our center. The effect of injury type on neurological outcome and its relationship to neuroplasticity of brain and the cord. Methods: It was a prospective study on incomplete traumatic spinal cord injury patients managed in our center from 1st August 2010 to 30th April 2016. Patients were managed in accident and emergency using Advance Trauma Life Support protocols. The injury site was splinted and stabilized using Philadelphia collar or corset. Injury type was determined clinically using American Spinal Injury Association impairment scale grading. Patients were managed conservatively. Structured proforma was used to collect data which were analyzed using Environmental Performance Index 7 software. Results: Ninety three patients were studied. Males were 64. The age range was 19-74 years. The most common etiology was vehicular trauma. At discharge forty nine patients achieved ASIA grade E. ASIA grade at presentation significantly affected the neurological outcome but injury type did not. Conclusion: There was good neurologic recovery among various types of incomplete spinal cord injury. There was no significant difference in neurologic recovery among the various types of injury. Neuroplasticity must have been involved in the neurologic recovery of all the types.

Keywords: incomplete spinal injury, neurological recovery, neuroplasticity.