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Abstract
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Research question: What are the preventable risk factors in traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI)?
Objectives: 1. To study the risk factors in traumatic spinal cord injuries. 2. To identify preventable risk factors.
Study design: Prospective study.
Setting: Accident and emergency services and department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation of Pt. B.D. Sharma PGIMS, Rohtak.
Participants: New traumatic SCI patients.
Study variables: Age, sex, mode of injury, SCI level, seasonal variation, associated trauma, duration of hospital stay, socio-economic status.
Results: Four hundred and eighty three new traumatic SCI cases reported in 2000-2001. Male to female ratio was 2.96:1 and the average age at injury was 35.4 years. Fall from height was most common cause of trauma (44.5%), followed by motor vehicle accidents (34.7%). One hundred and sixty four patients were tetraplegics and 283 patients were paraplegics, while 36 patients had no neurological deficit. Most common level of injury was first lumbar vertebra among paraplegics and fifth cervical vertebra among tetraplegics. There was increase in incidence of SCI during summer and rainy season. Average hospital stay was 39.5 days.
Conclusions: Certain preventable risk factors in traumatic SCI (falls, vehicular accidents, improper pre hospital care and improper transportation) need to be addressed in order to reduce the frequency and morbidity of SCI, burden on meagre financial and health resources. |