Clinical Neurorestorative Therapeutic Guidelines for Spinal Cord Injury (IANR/CANR version 2019)

Abstract

Functional restoration after spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the most challenging tasks in neurological clinical practice. With a view to exploring effective neurorestorative methods in the acute, subacute, and chronic phases of SCI, “Clinical Therapeutic Guidelines of Neurorestoration for Spinal Cord Injury (China Version 2016)” was first ​proposed in 2016 by the Chinese Association of Neurorestoratology (CANR). Given the rapid advances in this field in recent years, the International Association of Neurorestoratology (IANR) and CANR formed and approved the “Clinical Neurorestorative Therapeutic Guidelines for Spinal Cord Injury (IANR/CANR version 2019)”. These guidelines mainly introduce restoring damaged neurological structure and functions by varying neurorestorative strategies in acute, subacute, and chronic phases of SCI. These guidelines can provide a neurorestorative therapeutic standard or reference for clinicians and researchers in clinical practice to maximally restore functions of patients with SCI and improve their quality of life.The translational potential of this articleThis guideline provided comprehensive management strategies for SCI, which contains the evaluation and diagnosis, pre-hospital first aid, treatments, rehabilitation training, and complications management. Nowadays, amounts of neurorestorative strategies have been demonstrated to be benefit in promoting the functional recovery and improving the quality of life for SCI patients by clinical trials. Also, the positive results of preclinical research provided lots of new neurorestorative strategies for SCI treatment. These promising neurorestorative strategies are worthy of translation in the future and can promote the advancement of SCI treatments.

Effects of 16‐Form Wheelchair Tai Chi on the Autonomic Nervous System among Patients with Spinal Cord Injury

“…Exercise is particularly important for the patients with SCI for that it can promote the recovery of neurological function and functional compensation, improve motor function and activities of daily living, enhance cardiovascular and respiratory functions, and develop balance function [ 9 – 13 ]. However, inappropriate exercise can induce autonomic disorders.…”

Translation of engineering to medicine: A focus on finite element analysis

“…Feng et al. [15] developed guidelines to assess and treat spinal cord injuries; these guidelines are regularly updated with advanced technologies and devices that may aid patients.…”

Clinician-directed treatment guidelines

“…These networks are created by clinicians, for clinicians to benefit patients and ensure that treatment options are safe, efficacious, and have limited side effects. These guidelines are regularly updated based on translational studies and personal experiences by clinicians [2]. Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) cause long-term, debilitating conditions that affect numerous organ systems.…”

“…There is currently no definitive cure or treatment, and patients are required to undergo long-term management of various health conditions that arise. Research is ongoing, and there have been numerous breakthroughs in treating SCIs [2].…”

“…It is imperative to establish common strategies that clinicians can use and develop, to create novel and innovative strategies that best benefit the patients. By publishing these guidelines, we hope to better disseminate these therapeutic guidelines in order that more clinicians may adopt these common and well-researched practices for better patient care [2].…”