title: Aetioepidemiological profile of spinal injury patients in Eastern Nepal.
abstract: This is a retrospective case series of 233 spinal injury patients admitted to the orthopaedic ward of BPKIHS from May 1997 to April 2001. The inpatient records were analysed. In all, 40.3% of spinal injuries resulted from falls from trees while cutting leaves for fodder, and 27.9% resulted from falls from first/second floors. More than 75% of total spinal injuries are largely preventable. Overall, 46.8% of our spinal injury patients had complete cord transection at the level of injury. All adolescents and adults, irrespective of age or sex, should be the target groups for community education and intervention programmes for prevention of spinal injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal. slakhey64@hotmail.com
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lakhey
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jha
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Shrestha
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Niraula
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009390:Nepal / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D013124:Spinal Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control