title: The pathophysiology of spinal cord injury.
abstract: The definitive treatment of severe injuries to the spinal cord is yet to be established, except in the few rare cases in which realignment or decompression results in functionally significant salvage of long tracts coursing through the injured cord segments. The author believes that the best chances for successful therapy lie in a better understanding of the process of spinal cord self-destruction.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology; D001773:Blood Cells; D002415:Cats; D002465:Cell Movement; D004285:Dogs; D004487:Edema / Q000209:etiology; D005289:Ferrets; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D011188:Potassium