Outcomes of early surgical management versus late or no surgical intervention after acute spinal cord injury.
OBJECTIVE
To compare neurologic, medical, and functional outcomes of patients with acute spinal cord injury (SCI) undergoing early (<24 h and 24-72 h) and late (>72 h) surgical spine intervention versus those treated nonsurgically.


METHODS
Retrospective case series comparing outcomes by surgical and nonsurgical groups during acute care, rehabilitation, and at 1-year follow-up.


METHODS
Multicenter National Spinal Cord Injury Database.


METHODS
Consecutive patients with acute, nonpenetrating, traumatic SCI from 1995 to 2000, admitted in the first 24 hours after injury. Surgical spinal intervention was likely secondary to nature of injury and the need for spinal stabilization. Interventions Not applicable.


METHODS
Changes in neurologic outcomes (motor and sensory levels, motor index score, American Spinal Injury Association [ASIA] Impairment Scale [AIS]), medical complications (pneumonia and atelectasis, deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, pressure ulcers, autonomic dysreflexia, rehospitalization), and functional outcomes (acute and rehabilitation length of stay [LOS], hospital charges, FIM instrument score, FIM motor efficiency scores).


RESULTS
Subjects in the early surgery group were more likely ( P <.05) to be women, have paraplegia, and have SCI caused by motor vehicle collisions. The nonsurgical group was more likely ( P <.05) to have an older mean age and more incomplete injuries. ASIA motor index improvements (from admission to 1-y follow-up) were more likely ( P <.05) in the nonsurgical groups, as compared with the surgical groups. Those with late surgery had significantly ( P <.05) increased acute care and total LOS and hospital charges along with higher incidence of pneumonia and atelectasis. No differences between groups were found for changes in neurologic levels, AIS grade, or FIM motor efficiency.


CONCLUSIONS
ASIA motor index improvements were noted in the nonsurgery group, though likely related to increased incompleteness of injuries within this group. Early versus late spinal surgery was associated with shorter LOS and reduced pulmonary complications, however, no differences in neurologic or functional improvements were noted between early or late surgical groups.
McKinley
William
W
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA. wmckinle@hsc.vcu.edu
Meade
Michelle A
MA
Kirshblum
Steven
S
Barnard
Barbara
B
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D017722:Hospital Charges / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D009048:Motor Skills; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D001261:Pulmonary Atelectasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D013997:Time Factors; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology