title: Descriptive study of earthquake-related spinal cord injury in Nepal.
abstract: METHODS
  Descriptive study.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the epidemiological features of spinal cord injury (SCI) following the 2015 earthquakes in Nepal.
  
  
  METHODS
  Spinal Injury Rehabilitation Centre, Kavre, Nepal.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected from the medical records of all earthquake-related patients seen from 25 April 2015 through to 16 June 2016. Data collected included patient demographics, mechanism of injury, initial medical treatment, neurological assessment, complications, neurological/functional outcomes and length of stay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data from 117 earthquake-related SCI patients were evaluated, with a female-to-male ratio of 1.3:1. In total, 108 patients (92%) sustained vertebral fracture and/or dislocation. Seventy-seven patients had undergone surgical fixation. The majority of patients (81%) presented with paraplegia, of whom most (60%) were incomplete. Thirty-eight (33%) patients had documented pressure ulcers upon admission; six (5%) patients developed new pressure ulcers during their rehabilitation stay. Urinary tract infection was seen in 34 (29%) patients. Seven (6%) patients were diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis. One patient developed clinically significant heterotopic ossification. Significant improvements were seen in patients' functional outcomes before discharge. Two deaths occurred in this patient population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Nepal earthquakes resulted in a significant number of SCIs, the majority occurring in women. Incomplete paraplegia was the most common presentation. Pressure ulcer, the most frequent complication, primarily occurred before rehabilitation admission. Continued efforts focused on comprehensive planning, and preparedness for SCI-specific interdisciplinary care following earthquakes, particularly in resource-limited settings, is critical to ensuring survival, preventing complications and optimizing functional outcomes in this patient population.
authors.affiliation: Spinal Injury Rehabilitation Centre, Sanga, Nepal.|Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.|Health, Physical, and Population Education Department, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal.
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Groves
authors.affiliation: Spinal Injury Rehabilitation Centre, Sanga, Nepal.
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Poudel
authors.affiliation: Spinal Injury Rehabilitation Centre, Sanga, Nepal.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baniya
authors.affiliation: Spinal Injury Rehabilitation Centre, Sanga, Nepal.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rana
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.|Department of Emergency Medicine, Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Lalitpur, Nepal.
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: House
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003906:Developing Countries; D055866:Earthquakes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009390:Nepal / Q000453:epidemiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D061665:Time-to-Treatment; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult