Ehtisham Ahmed Khan Afridi, Shagufta Naeem, Adil Ihsan, Sidra Maqbool, Aqsa Shehzadi.
Incidence of Acute Complications Associated with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI): a study of the Ayub Teaching Hospital, Abbottabad.
Pak J Neuro Surg Jan ;27(2):162-8.

Objective: To document the occurrence of acute problems as well as post-surgical improvements in individuals suffering from spinal cord injury. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted retrospectively in the Department of Neurosurgery. All patients of any age and both genders were included who were admitted with spinal injuries. The patients with cervical fractures received the anterior cervical plating plus graft placement in the cervical spine, whereas the patient with thoracolumbar fractures received the transpedicular fixation in thoracolumbar spine fractures. ASIA Impairment Scale for neurological status, GCS at admission, and acute complications developed within two weeks were noted. Results: 200 patients were included (mean age of 34.6 years). The common cause of SCI was a fall from an elevated position of 62.5%. On admission, 50% of patients` neurological state was Asia grade A. The most common location involved in patients (70%) was a thoracolumbar junction. 20% of patients presented with neurogenic shock. Postoperatively, the GCS scores in all patients were been improved. The commonest acute complications associated with SCI were pulmonary in 60% of patients. 17% of patients developed an infection, 5% suffered from gastrointestinal issues, and 3% suffered from renal issues. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) was observed in 9%. Conclusion: During the early phase of hospitalization, respiratory difficulties were among the most prevalent complications encountered in those suffering from traumatic SCI. These outcomes exacerbate the eventual suffering caused by the spinal cord injury; hence, recognizing the likelihood of occurrence, early detection, exact surgical treatment, and prevention are essential.

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