American Spinal Injury Association A (sensory and motor complete) is not different from American Spinal Injury Association B (sensory incomplete, motor complete) in gunshot-related spinal cord injury. 2017

Eric McCoy, and Nima Eftekhary, and Kenneth Nwosu, and Dudley Fukunaga, and Charles Liu, and Kevin Rolfe
Department of Neurosurgery & Orthopedic Surgery, Rancho Los Amigos Rehabilitation Center, 7601 E. Imperial Hwy, Downey, CA 90242, USA. Electronic address: ericsadekmccoy@gmail.com.

We receive a large number of patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) due to penetrating gunshot wounds (GSW) at our national rehabilitation center. Although many patients are labeled American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) B sensory incomplete because of sensory sparing, especially deep anal pressure, with purported prognostic value, we have not observed a clinical difference from patients labeled ASIA A complete. We hypothesized that sensory sparing, if meaningful, should reduce the occurrence of pressure ulcers. To determine if ASIA classifications A and B are important distinctions for patients with SCIs secondary to civilian gunshot wounds. A retrospective chart review was performed on all patients with civilian gunshot-induced SCI transferred to Rancho Los Amigos Rehabilitation Center between 1999 and 2014. Outcome measures were occurrence of pressure ulcers and surgical intervention for pressure ulcers. We included a total of 487 patients who sustained civilian gunshot wounds to the spine and were provided care at Rancho Los Amigos Rehabilitation Center from 2001 to 2014. Occurrence of pressure ulcers and surgical intervention for pressure ulcers among patients who suffered civilian-induced gunshot wounds to the spine. Retrospective chart review identified 487 SCIs due to gunshot wounds that were treated at Rancho Los Amigos from 2001 to 2014. Injury characteristics including ASIA classification, pressure ulcers, and pressure ulcer surgeries were recorded. Comprehensive surgical data were obtained for all patients. Chart reviews and telephone interviews were performed to determine the occurrence of any pressure ulcers and pressure ulcer surgeries. Statistical analysis was performed to compare data by spinal region and ASIA grade. There were no conflicts of interest from any of the authors, and there was no funding obtained for this study. There was no statistical difference for cervical ASIA A versus ASIA B for the occurrence of pressure ulcers or the percentage requiring surgery, nor for thoracic A versus B. When grouped, there was a statistically higher occurrence of pressure ulcers in cervical A or B classification than in thoracic A or B classification, but a higher rate of surgery for thoracic A or B classification. Lumbosacral cauda equina levels were not statistically different in occurrence of pressure ulcers or pressureulcer surgery by ASIA grades A-D. Overall, when grouped C1-T12, cord-level cervicothoracic A and B classifications were statistically equivalent. C1-T12 cord level C or D classification with motor sparing had statistically lower occurrence and need of surgery for pressure ulcers and were equivalent to lumbosacral cauda equina level A-D. ASIA A and B distinctions are not meaningful at spinal cord levels in the cervicothoracic spine due to gunshot wounds as shown by similar occurrence of pressure ulcers and pressure ulcer surgery, and should be treated as if the same. Meaningful decrease of pressure ulcers at cord levels does not occur until there is motor sparing ASIA C or D. Furthermore, cauda equina lumbosacral injuries are a lower risk, which is independent of ASIA grade A-D and statistically equivalent to cord level C or D. Motor sparing at cord levels or any cauda equina level is most determinative neurologically for the occurrence of pressure ulcers or pressure ulcer surgery.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D011183 Postoperative Complications Pathologic processes that affect patients after a surgical procedure. They may or may not be related to the disease for which the surgery was done, and they may or may not be direct results of the surgery. Complication, Postoperative,Complications, Postoperative,Postoperative Complication
D002420 Cauda Equina The lower part of the SPINAL CORD consisting of the lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal nerve roots. Filum Terminale,Equina, Cauda,Terminale, Filum
D003668 Pressure Ulcer An ulceration caused by prolonged pressure on the SKIN and TISSUES when one stays in one position for a long period of time, such as lying in bed. The bony areas of the body are the most frequently affected sites which become ischemic (ISCHEMIA) under sustained and constant pressure. Bedsore,Decubitus Sore,Decubitus Ulcer,Pressure Injury,Pressure Sore,Bed Sores,Bed Sore,Bedsores,Decubitus Sores,Decubitus Ulcers,Injury, Pressure,Pressure Injuries,Pressure Sores,Pressure Ulcers,Sore, Bed,Sore, Decubitus,Sore, Pressure,Ulcer, Decubitus,Ulcer, Pressure
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly
D013119 Spinal Cord Injuries Penetrating and non-penetrating injuries to the spinal cord resulting from traumatic external forces (e.g., WOUNDS, GUNSHOT; WHIPLASH INJURIES; etc.). Myelopathy, Traumatic,Injuries, Spinal Cord,Post-Traumatic Myelopathy,Spinal Cord Contusion,Spinal Cord Laceration,Spinal Cord Transection,Spinal Cord Trauma,Contusion, Spinal Cord,Contusions, Spinal Cord,Cord Contusion, Spinal,Cord Contusions, Spinal,Cord Injuries, Spinal,Cord Injury, Spinal,Cord Laceration, Spinal,Cord Lacerations, Spinal,Cord Transection, Spinal,Cord Transections, Spinal,Cord Trauma, Spinal,Cord Traumas, Spinal,Injury, Spinal Cord,Laceration, Spinal Cord,Lacerations, Spinal Cord,Myelopathies, Post-Traumatic,Myelopathies, Traumatic,Myelopathy, Post-Traumatic,Post Traumatic Myelopathy,Post-Traumatic Myelopathies,Spinal Cord Contusions,Spinal Cord Injury,Spinal Cord Lacerations,Spinal Cord Transections,Spinal Cord Traumas,Transection, Spinal Cord,Transections, Spinal Cord,Trauma, Spinal Cord,Traumas, Spinal Cord,Traumatic Myelopathies,Traumatic Myelopathy

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