BACKGROUND The goal of this study was to describe the hospital-based incidence of traumatic spinal cord injury in Tehran, Iran. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the hospital records of traumatic spinal cord injury patients, admitted between March 2010 and July 2011 in 61/68 hospitals of Tehran. RESULTS Overall, 138 cases of traumatic spinal cord injury were identified. The majority of pa...

OBJECTIVE Intraspinal microstimulation (ISMS) is a promising method for activating the spinal cord distal to an injury. The objectives of this study were to examine the ability of chronically implanted stimulating wires within the cervical spinal cord to (1) directly produce forelimb movements, and (2) assess whether ISMS stimulation could improve subsequent volitional control of paretic extrem...

Cervical spondylosis is degeneration of the cervical spine that occurs during the normal course of aging, and may progress into compression of the spinal cord, or cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM), which can cause neurologic dysfunction. Cervical spondylosis can be identified in the majority of people older than 50 years. Many people with cervical spondylosis or CSM are asymptomatic. Howeve...

The aim of this study is to report the rare occurrence of simultaneous double spine fractures in a patient with progressive ankylosing spondylitis (AS). An 82-year-old male with established AS had low-energy falls. He had sustained simultaneous double spine fractures and died. Plain radiographs of the cervical spine were unremarkable in detecting a cervical spine fracture in a patient with AS a...

STUDY DESIGN A retrospective administrative database analysis. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence and characteristics of pediatric cervical spine injury (PCSI) utilizing the Kids' Inpatient Database (KID). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA PCSI is debilitating, but comprehensive analyses have been difficult due to its rarity. There have been a few database studies on ...

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is characterised by profound respiratory compromise secondary to the level of loss of motor, sensory and autonomic control associated with the injury. This review aims to detail these anatomical and physiological changes after SCI, and outline their impact on respiratory function. Injury-related impairments in strength substantially alter pulmonary mechanics, which in t...

Cellular transplantation strategies utilizing intraspinal injection of mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs) have been reported as beneficial for spinal cord injuries. However, intraspinal injection is not only technically challenging, but requires invasive surgical procedures for patients. Therefore, we investigated the feasibility and potential benefits of noninvasive intravenous injection of M...

We present a case of acute hydrocephalus secondary to cervical spinal cord injury in a patient with diffuse ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL). A 75-year-old male patient visited the emergency department with tetraparesis and spinal shock. Imaging studies showed cervical spinal cord injury with hemorrhage and diffuse OPLL from C1 to C4. We performed decompressive laminec...

The evaluation and management of cervical spine injuries is a core component of the practice of emergency medicine. This article focuses on evaluation and management of blunt cervical spine trauma by the emergency physician. Pertinent anatomy of the cervical spine and specific cervical spine fractures are discussed, with an emphasis on unstable injuries and associated spinal cord pathology. The...