The Facts on Spinal Cord Injuries

RUNNING HEAD : The Facts on Spinal Cord Injuries

The Facts on Spinal Cord Injuries

Name

Submitted To

Purpose

MM /DD /YY The Facts on Spinal Cord Injuries

Introduction

Thesis Statement

Spinal cord injuries (SCI ) involve different cellular elements , blood networks and membranes present in the cord itself . If disruption in the integrity of the cord occurs , the body encounters serious complications that have fatality risks

Anatomically , the spinal cord extends from the opening of the foramen magnum to the first two lumbar columns of the backbone (L1

to L2 . The spinal cord is composed of several neurologic pathways and cellular elements (e .g . preganglionic sympathetic neurons , somatomotor neurons etc ) most expressed in its white and gray matter . By structure and consistency , spinal cord is a delicate branch of neural fibers controlling mainly the motor sympathetic and parasympathetic functions of the body , and with its soft structural property , spinal cord is indeed at risk of several traumatic injuries . Trauma , malformations and diseases are some of the most common physiological conditions that cause SCI . According to Lobato , Gravenstein and Kirby (2007 , the average age of the patient that can possess high risk of SCI occurrences is 32 .3 years of age , and the typical causes are usually traumatic accidents (e .g . vehicular accidents , physical trauma , etc . SCI result from vertebral shearing or stretching of the neural elements involving any of the cervical vertebrae 5 , 6 and 7 thoracic vertebra 12 and the lumbar vertebra (Madara and Pomarico-Deniro , 2008

.137 . Neural damages during traumatic cases of SCI can affect motor and sensory function , reflex activity and muscle control . The discussion centers in the pathophysiological concepts involving cellular mechanisms , spinal cord recovery and protective mechanisms utilized by the cord itself

Discussion

Spinal Cord Injury

Statistically , there are approximately 10 ,000 to 20 ,000 severe cases of SCI occurring each year only in the United States (Madara and Pomarico-Deniro , 2008

.134 . SCI cases are usually triggered by compressed blood flow in the spine , slipped-disks , columnar trauma directed to the cord , over stretching of the back and ligament injuries According to Lobato , Gravenstein and Kirby (2007 , non-traumatic SCIs among older aged individuals (60 years old and above ) result from degenerative spice conditions , ischemia , demyelination , inflammation and extrinsic neoplastic , hemorrhagic or pyogenic masses (p .387 . Madara and Pomarico-Deniro (2008 , the most common complications of SCI include spinal shock , autonomic hyperreflexia and respiratory failure (p .134 According to Lobato , Gravenstein and Kirby (2007 , the most commonly affected area of the spinal cord is on the weakest columnar area present in the neck region (C5 to C6 (p .134

Considering the different traumatic insults directed to the cord of an SCI patient (e .g . transaction , compression , distraction , stretching etc , Vaccaro ) emphasizes the value of determining (1 ) the amount of impact energy applied to the cord (2 ) the pre-injury space available for the cord , and (3 ) medical comorbidities associated to the impact which all provide basis in understanding the pattern and assessing the degree of neurological trauma following...