Traumatic spinal cord injuries: evidence from 30 years in a single centre.
METHODS
Retrospective data analysis.


OBJECTIVE
Traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) is a devastating injury that causes a lifelong disability, involving mostly young men. The aim of the study was to analyse some clinical and epidemiological features of TSCI patients admitted to the Spinal Unit of Florence, Italy, during 30 years, from 1981 to 2010.


METHODS
Spinal Unit, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy.


METHODS
The medical files from the computerised database of the patients who sustained TSCI from 1 January 1981 to 31 December 2010 and received comprehensive care in the same centre were analysed. Information was collected with regard to demographic data, causes of injury, time of injury, associated injuries, treatment of the vertebral lesion and neurological condition at discharge.


RESULTS
A total of 1479 patients were included. The number of two-wheeler road traffic accidents (RTAs) has increased over the years, whereas the percentage of falls and sports accidents has been quite constant. The lesions due to 4-wheeler RTAs tend to decrease. Lesions due to falls mainly affected older persons than those due to sports accidents, with a mean age at the time of injury of 52 and 25 years, respectively. Diving was the most common cause among sports and leisure accidents. Associated injuries were present in 56% of all the cases included.


CONCLUSIONS
The cases of spinal cord injury due to two-wheeler RTAs have increased over the years probably because of the increasing diffusion of the use of such a vehicle, and such an eventuality has to be taken into consideration in future prevention strategies.
Spinal Unit, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy.
S
S
Aito
Spinal Unit, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy.
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L
Tucci
Spinal Unit, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy.
V
V
Zidarich
Division of Rehabilitation Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Danderyd University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
L
L
Werhagen
D000058:Accidental Falls; D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult