Journal List > J Korean Soc Spine Surg > v.22(1) > 1076052

Seo, Kim, Lee, Wang, and Park: The Prognostic Factors of Neurologic Recovery in Spinal Cord Injury

Abstract

Study Design

Retrospective study.

Objectives

To evaluate and compare the factors affecting recovery of spinal cord injury following cervical and thoracolumbar spine injuries.

Summary of the Literature Review

Several authors have reported the factors to predict the prognosis of spinal cord injury, but the objective prognostic factors are still controversial.

Materials and Methods

From June 2006 to March 2013, a total of 44 patients with spinal cord injury were evaluated. Prognostic factors analyzed were sex, age, neurologic status, fracture type, time to operation, use of steroid, and signal change on MRI. We analyzed the relation between each factor and the neurologic recovery. The mean followup period was 12 months. The neurologic recovery was analyzed by the ASIA impairment scale at the first and the last neurologic examination.

Results

Among 44 patients, 15 sustained complete cord injury while 29 had incomplete cord injury. Significant neurologic recovery using the ASIA impairment scale was evaluated in the incomplete spinal cord injury group. Among this group, the prognosis for Brown-sequard syndrome is better than for central cord syndrome and anterior cord syndrome. There was no significant difference in other factors (fracture site, time to operation, use of steroid or signal change on MRI).

Conclusions

The prognosis in spinal cord injury is determined by the initial neurologic damage and neurologic recovery is not related with the fracture type, time to operation, use of steroid and signal change on MRI.

REFERENCES

1. You JW, Sohn HM, Park SH. Diminution of Secondary injury after Administration Pharmacologic Agents in Acute Spinal Cord Injury Rat Model–Comparision of Statins Erythropoietin and Polyethylene Glycol-. J Korean Soc Spine Surg. 2012; 196:77–84.
2. Nobunaga AI, Go BK, Karunas RB. Recent demographic and injury trends in people served by the Model Spinal Cord Injury Care Systems. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1999; 80:1372–82.
crossref
3. Standard for neurologic and functional class of spinal cord injury. Chicago: American Spinal Injury Association;1992.
4. Guttmann L, Frankel H. The value of intermittent catheterization in early management of traumatic paraplegia and tetraplegia. Paraplegia. 1966; 4:63–84.
5. Bosch A, Stauffer ES, Nikel VL. Incomplete traumatic quadriplegia: A ten year review. JAMA. 1971; 216:473–8.
6. Lucas JT, ducker TB. Motor classification of spinal cord injuries with mobility, morbidity and recovery indices. Am Surg. 1979; 45:151–8.
7. Bedbrook GM. Pathological principles of the management of spinal cord trauma. Paraplegia. 1966; 4:43–56.
8. Castellano V, Bocconi FL. Injuries of the cervical spine with spinal cord involvement (myelic fracture): Statistical considerations. Bull Hosp Joint Dis. 1970; 31:188–94.
9. White AA, Southwick WO, Panjabi MM. Clinical instability in the lower cervical spine –a review of past and current concepts. Spine(Phila Pa 1976). 1976; 1:15–27.
crossref
10. Song KJ, Lee KB. The Prognosis of the Acute Cervical spinal injury. J korea Orthop Assoc. 1998; 33:794–801.
11. Cho DY, Seo JG, Baek SN, et al. Surgical Treatment of the Unstable Lower Cervical Spine Injuries. J Korea Orthop Assoc. 1990; 25:151–60.
crossref
12. Hill SA, Miler CA, Kosnik EJ, et al. Pediatric neck injuries. A clinical study. Neurosrug. 1984; 60:700–6.
13. Evans DL, Bethem D. Cervical spine injuries in children. J Pediatric Orthopaedics. 1989; 9:563–8.
crossref
14. Delamarter RB, Sherman JE, Carr JB. Pathophysilogy of spinal cord injury. J Bone Joint Surg. 1995; 77:1042–9.
15. Delamarter RB, Sherman JE, Carr JB. Cauda equine syndrome: neurologic recovery following immediate, early, or late decompression. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1991; 16:1022–9.
16. Schaefer DM, Flanders AE, Northrup BE, et al. Magnetic resonance imaging of acute spinal trauma: Correlation with severity of neurologic injury. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1988; 14:1090–5.
17. Kulkarni MV, McArdle CB, Kopanicky D, et al. Acute spinal cord injury: MR imaging at 1.5 T. Radiology. 1987; 164:837–43.
crossref
18. Vellman W, Hawkes AP, Lammertse DP. Administration of corticosteroids for acute spine cord injury: the current practice of trauma medical directors and emergency medical system physician advisors. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2003; 28:941–7.
19. Bracken MB. Methylprednisolone and acute spinal cord injury: an update of the randomized evidence. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2001; 26(24 Suppl):S47–54.
20. Bracken MB, Shepard MJ, Collins WF, et al. A randomized, controlled trial of methylprednisolone or naloxone in the treatment of acute spinal-cord injury: results of the Second National Acute Spinal Cord Injury Study. N Engl J. 1990; 322:1405–11.
21. Bracken MB, Shepard MJ, Holford TR, et al. Administration of methylprednisolone for 24 or 48 hours or tirilazad mesylate for 48 hours in the treatment of acute spinal cord injury: results of the Third National Acute Spinal Cord Injury randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 1997; 277:1597–604.
22. Hulbert RJ, Moulton R. Why do you prescribe meth- ylprednisolone for acute spinal cord injury? A Canadian perspective and a position statement. Can J Neurol Sci. 2002; 29:236–9.

Figures and Tables%

Fig. 1.
case 1; 53-year-old man with C7 fracture(Vertical compression injury) who become incomplete quadriplegia (Brown-Sequard syndrome) following fall down accident. Steroid administration was done, and operation was done after 24 hours because of pulmonary complication. Shows nerologic recovery (ASIA impairment scale B to D). (A) CT : C7 unstable fracture (B) MRI T2 : central high SI change (Ca, b) Anterior corpectomy C7 & Anterior interbody fusion C6-7.
jkss-22-1f1.tif
Fig. 2.
case 2; 45-year-old man with Fx. & D/L T12-L1 who become complete paraplegia following crushing injury. Steroid administration was done, and operation was done within 24 hours. Shows no nerologic recovery (ASIA impairment scale A to A). (A) CT: Fx. & D/L T12-L1 able fracture (B) MRI T2: SI change is absent (Ca,b) Open reduction & interal fixation, T10-11-L1-2.
jkss-22-1f2.tif
Table 1.
ASIA impairment scale
A. Complete: No motor or sensory function is preserved in the sacral segments S4-S5.
B. Incomplete: Sensory but not motor function is preserved below the neurological level and includes the sacral segments S4-S5.
C. Incomplete: Motor function is preserved below the neurological level, and more than half of key muscles below the neurological level have a muscle grade less than 3.
D. Incomplete: Motor function is preserved below the neurological level, and at least half of key muscles below the neurological level have a muscle grade of 3 or more.
E. Normal: Motor and sensory function are normal.
Table 2.
Analysis of prognostic factors of neurologic recovery
Case
Recovery Non-recovery y p-value
Sex 0.377
 Male 28 15 13
 Female 16 7 9
Time 0.619
 ≤24 hours 24 12 12
 > 24 hours 20 10 10
Steroid 0.268
 Yes 17 7 10
 No 27 15 12
MRI signal change 0.219
 Yes 34 18 16
 No 10 4 6
Spinal cord injury 0.004
 Complete 15 2 13
 Incomplete 29 20 12
 BSS 8 7 1 0.005*
 ASS 7 3 4
 CCS 14 10 4
Fracture site 0.316
 C spine 13 7 6
 T-L spine 31 15 16

BSS;Brown-squard syndrome, ASS;Anterior spinal cord syndrome.

CCS;Central spinal cord syndrome.

0.005*:p-value of BSS vs. ASS & CSS.

Table 3.
Results of multivariate test
Factors Odds ratio 95% confidence interval p-value
Spinal cord injury
 Complete Incomplete 1.36 1.13~1.62 0.001
 BSS 4.17 1.14~15.15 0.0312*
 ASS
 CSS

BSS: Brown-squard syndrome, ASS: Anterior spinal cord syndrome, CCS Central spinal cord syndrome.0.0312*: p-value of BSS vs. ASS & CSS.

TOOLS
Similar articles