Abstract
The influence of complications and comorbidities on the outcome of patients with traumatic spinal cord injury after early surgery is unclear. The aim of the current study was to analyze the influence of previous comorbidities and common complications on motor function outcome of patients with traumatic spinal cord injury if early surgery was performed. All patients with a traumatic spinal cord injury who were initially surgically treated in our hospital in the period from January 2008 to December 2013 were included in this study. Epidemiological data and previous comorbidities (cardiovascular, pulmonary, metabolic, spinal) were documented. A neurological assessment was performed using the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) score. Retrospectively, patients' personal data (age, gender, comorbidities) and clinical data (complications, ASIA score, motor function) were analyzed statistically. A total of 133 patients met the inclusion criteria. The level of spinal cord injury ranged from C3 to L4. Motor function was improved from 51.5 ± 24.8 to 60.1 ± 25.0 (improvement: 25.7%). The most common complications were urinary tract infection and pneumonia. There is a significant relationship between a lack of previous spinal comorbidities and a better outcome in terms of motor function. No other comorbidities or complications showed any effect on motor function outcome. The current study shows that motor function was able to be improved in patients who were given early surgery after a traumatic spinal cord injury. Common complications as well as previous cardiovascular, pulmonary, and metabolic comorbidities do not impair motor function outcome. The final motor function score is reduced if patients have previous spinal comorbidities.
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