Spinal injury


Spinal trauma is an injury of the spine and spinal cord. If the patient suffers from polytrauma e.g., the symptoms of life-threatening injuries may mask the symptoms of spinal injury and spinal cord injury can develop by careless manipulation with the patient. If there is a history of sudden acceleration or deceleration (traffic accidents, falls, sports injuries), there is always the possibility of spinal injury. Our algorithm takes you through spinal trauma from first aid to late complications.

2015
spinal cord
injury
polytrauma
Published at: 9.4.2015

Review

Stanislav Kazda, MD
spine surgeon, Department of Traumatology, University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic

This algorithm closely and complex informs the investigators of the issue of spinal trauma in an interactive way. It describes the entire therapeutic from arrival of EMS crew, ensuring the patient to his transport to a specialized center. It also emphasizes a time factor of transport, which is a highly important for the further prognosis. The algorithm introduces the investigators to the diagnostic procedure and the work of consultants. It briefly describes the induction of anaesthesia and necessary procedures for securing the airway, generally summarizes the postoperative status and possible complications of a patient with spinal cord lesions and the following rehabilitation process. After reading this algorithm, the reader is familiar with basic facts and procedures in patients with spinal cord lesions and is capable of providing of first aid.

Sources

DRÁBKOVÁ, Jarmila. Spinální trauma z pohledu intenzivisty. Acta spondylologica. 2003, 2(2), 101-104. ISSN 1336-121X

HÁJEK, Roman, Pavel HUDE, H. BOSÁKOVÁ, D. ŘEHOŘKOVÁ, P. HORKÝ, P. WENDSCHE a Ján KOČIŠ. Spinální trauma v resuscitační péči. Anesteziologie a neodkladná péče. 2002, 13(1), 32-37. ISSN 0862-4968

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