Predicting neurologic recovery in traumatic cervical spinal cord injury. 1998

S C Kirshblum, and K C O'Connor
Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, West Orange, NJ, USA.

OBJECTIVE Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) affects 8,000 to 10,000 individuals per year in the United States. One of the most difficult tasks confronting the clinician is the discussion of neurologic recovery and prognosis with the patient and/or family. Our objective is to provide a guide for practitioners to accurately predict neurologic outcome in acute traumatic cervical SCI (tetraplegia). METHODS Published reports obtained through MEDLINE search, texts, and studies presented at national conferences. METHODS Peer reviewed studies, in English language, that discussed prognosis after traumatic SCI. CONCLUSIONS A comprehensive physical examination of the acute SCI patient is essential in determining the initial level and classification of the injury and is the most accurate method to predict neurologic recovery. Other diagnostic tests, including somatosensory evoked potentials, magnetic resonance imaging, and transcranial magnetic stimulation, may be helpful in further determining outcome when used in association with the clinical examination. The understanding of neurologic recovery should help predict ultimate functional capability and potential needs.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008279 Magnetic Resonance Imaging Non-invasive method of demonstrating internal anatomy based on the principle that atomic nuclei in a strong magnetic field absorb pulses of radiofrequency energy and emit them as radiowaves which can be reconstructed into computerized images. The concept includes proton spin tomographic techniques. Chemical Shift Imaging,MR Tomography,MRI Scans,MRI, Functional,Magnetic Resonance Image,Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Functional,Magnetization Transfer Contrast Imaging,NMR Imaging,NMR Tomography,Tomography, NMR,Tomography, Proton Spin,fMRI,Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging,Imaging, Chemical Shift,Proton Spin Tomography,Spin Echo Imaging,Steady-State Free Precession MRI,Tomography, MR,Zeugmatography,Chemical Shift Imagings,Echo Imaging, Spin,Echo Imagings, Spin,Functional MRI,Functional MRIs,Image, Magnetic Resonance,Imaging, Magnetic Resonance,Imaging, NMR,Imaging, Spin Echo,Imagings, Chemical Shift,Imagings, Spin Echo,MRI Scan,MRIs, Functional,Magnetic Resonance Images,Resonance Image, Magnetic,Scan, MRI,Scans, MRI,Shift Imaging, Chemical,Shift Imagings, Chemical,Spin Echo Imagings,Steady State Free Precession MRI
D011379 Prognosis A prediction of the probable outcome of a disease based on a individual's condition and the usual course of the disease as seen in similar situations. Prognostic Factor,Prognostic Factors,Factor, Prognostic,Factors, Prognostic,Prognoses
D011782 Quadriplegia Severe or complete loss of motor function in all four limbs which may result from BRAIN DISEASES; SPINAL CORD DISEASES; PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DISEASES; NEUROMUSCULAR DISEASES; or rarely MUSCULAR DISEASES. The locked-in syndrome is characterized by quadriplegia in combination with cranial muscle paralysis. Consciousness is spared and the only retained voluntary motor activity may be limited eye movements. This condition is usually caused by a lesion in the upper BRAIN STEM which injures the descending cortico-spinal and cortico-bulbar tracts. Quadriparesis,Spastic Quadriplegia,Tetraplegia,Flaccid Quadriplegia,Flaccid Tetraplegia,Paralysis, Spinal, Quadriplegic,Spastic Tetraplegia,Flaccid Quadriplegias,Flaccid Tetraplegias,Quadripareses,Quadriplegia, Flaccid,Quadriplegia, Spastic,Quadriplegias,Quadriplegias, Flaccid,Quadriplegias, Spastic,Spastic Quadriplegias,Spastic Tetraplegias,Tetraplegia, Flaccid,Tetraplegia, Spastic,Tetraplegias,Tetraplegias, Flaccid,Tetraplegias, Spastic
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012677 Sensation The process in which specialized SENSORY RECEPTOR CELLS transduce peripheral stimuli (physical or chemical) into NERVE IMPULSES which are then transmitted to the various sensory centers in the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. Sensory Function,Organoleptic,Function, Sensory,Functions, Sensory,Sensations,Sensory Functions
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
D013577 Syndrome A characteristic symptom complex. Symptom Cluster,Cluster, Symptom,Clusters, Symptom,Symptom Clusters,Syndromes
D016896 Treatment Outcome Evaluation undertaken to assess the results or consequences of management and procedures used in combating disease in order to determine the efficacy, effectiveness, safety, and practicability of these interventions in individual cases or series. Rehabilitation Outcome,Treatment Effectiveness,Clinical Effectiveness,Clinical Efficacy,Patient-Relevant Outcome,Treatment Efficacy,Effectiveness, Clinical,Effectiveness, Treatment,Efficacy, Clinical,Efficacy, Treatment,Outcome, Patient-Relevant,Outcome, Rehabilitation,Outcome, Treatment,Outcomes, Patient-Relevant,Patient Relevant Outcome,Patient-Relevant Outcomes

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