Recent advances in managing a spinal cord injury secondary to trauma.
Traumatic spinal cord injuries (SCIs) affect 1.3 million North Americans, producing devastating physical, social, and vocational impairment. Pathophysiologically, the initial mechanical trauma is followed by a significant secondary injury which includes local ischemia, pro-apoptotic signaling, release of cytotoxic factors, and inflammatory cell infiltration. Expedient delivery of medical and surgical care during this critical period can improve long-term functional outcomes, engendering the concept of "Time is Spine". We emphasize the importance of expeditious care while outlining the initial clinical and radiographic assessment of patients. Key evidence-based early interventions (surgical decompression, blood pressure augmentation, and methylprednisolone) are also reviewed, including findings of the landmark Surgical Timing in Acute Spinal Cord Injury Study (STASCIS). We then describe other neuroprotective approaches on the edge of translation such as the sodium-channel blocker riluzole, the anti-inflammatory minocycline, and therapeutic hypothermia. We also review promising neuroregenerative therapies that are likely to influence management practices over the next decade including chondroitinase, Rho-ROCK pathway inhibition, and bioengineered strategies. The importance of emerging neural stem cell therapies to remyelinate denuded axons and regenerate neural circuits is also discussed. Finally, we outline future directions for research and patient care.
Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Christopher S
CS
Ahuja
Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Allan R
AR
Martin
Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine, UHN, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Spine Program, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; McLaughlin Center in Molecular Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Michael
M
Fehlings
MRI; Spinal cord injury; imaging; neuroprotection; neuroregeneration; stem cell; trauma