Update on spinal cord paralysis. A preventable injury, a surgical challenge?
Spinal cord injuries will not disappear, but the incidence can be reduced. A reduction of up to 50% of spinal cord injury cases is, in the opinion of Menzies' seminar participants, practical and possible but will only occur if the subject is accepted as a major challenge in the surgical world. Great advances in spinal cord injury care were made by surgeons. Prevention is a programme already targeted in other surgical areas. As a multidisciplinary medical and surgical area, spinal cord injury prevention now needs the effective activity of groups of health professionals. Primary prevention must therefore be a target for surgical communities. Surgeons should be among the leaders in the field ensuring good overall management of prevention programmes.
Bedbrook
G M
GM
Prevention of Spinal Injuries Programme, Royal Perth (Rehabilitation) Hospital, Shenton Park, Western Australia.
D000056:Accident Prevention; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000592:standards; D005544:Forecasting; D013502:General Surgery; D006292:Health Priorities; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D012042:Registries; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000601:surgery