title: Efficacy of surgical decompression in the setting of complete thoracic spinal cord injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  An assessment of neurological improvement after surgical intervention in the setting of traumatic thoracic spinal cord injury (SCI).
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective evaluation of a nonconsecutive cohort of patients with a thoracic SCI from T2 to T11. The analysis included a total of 12 eligible patients. The neurologic and functional outcomes were recorded from the acute hospital admission to the most recent follow-up. Data included patient age, level of injury, neurologic examination according to the Frankel grading system, the performance of surgery, and the mechanism of the time-related SCI decompression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients had a complete thoracic SCI. The median interval from injury to surgery was 11 days (range, 1-36 days). Decompression, bone fusion, and instrumentation were the most common surgical procedures performed. The median length of follow-up was 18 months after surgery (range, 9-132 months). Motor functional improvement was seen in 1 patient (Frankel A to C).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surgical decompression and fusion imparts no apparent benefit in terms of neurologic improvement (spinal cord) in the setting of a complete traumatic thoracic SCI. To better define the role of surgical decompression and stabilization in the setting of a complete SCI, randomized, controlled, prospective studies are necessary.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Khatam-ol-anbia Hospital, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Iran. v_rahimi@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Vafa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rahimi-Movaghar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D016896:Treatment Outcome