title: Timing of surgery following spinal cord injury.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The optimal timing for surgical intervention after traumatic spinal injuries with spinal cord injury remains unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  Literature review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multiple laboratory investigations (in animal models) and many clinical studies suggest better neurological outcomes with early surgical intervention. Conclusive evidence (well-designed randomized, controlled studies), however, is lacking, partly due to the logistics involved in executing such an investigation. Early surgery also appears to decrease the incidence of complications, reduces hospital stay, and helps reduce costs associated with acute management.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early surgical treatment is beneficial in terms of reducing complications, length of stay, and hospital costs. Further studies are needed to clearly demonstrate the impact of operative timing on neurological outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, University of Medicine and Dentistry-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey 07103, USA.
authors.forename: Shyam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kishan
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Vives
authors.forename: Mitchell F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Reiter
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000191:economics / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome