Newer Concepts in the Treatment of the Paralyzed Patients Due to War-Time Injuries of the Spinal Cord

Prevalence and incidence of pressure sores in acute spinal cord injuries

“…In an analysis of spinal cord injured vererans of World War II, Kennedy (1946) fo und that over 75 per cent had developed pressure sores. Poer (1946) found that 57'1 per cent of these wartime casualties had pressure sores upon admission to a veterans hospital. Poer (1946) also discovered that over 70 per cent of these casualties with pressure sores had multiple pressure sores.…”

“…But there are inadequate statistics available relating to the actual prevalence of pressure sores in acutely injured spinal cord patients, also regarding the prevalence of pressure sores relevant to to the different anatomical levels of spinal cord injury. Past statistics, which were compiled by Munro (1940), Poer (1946) and Kuhn (1947), are 30 years old and do not reflect the modern acute spinal cord injury centre data. Our purposes were not only to provide actual statistics relating to the prevalence of pressure sore development in acutely injured spinal cord patients during the initial hospital stay, but also to identify major factors involved in the develop ment of pressure sores.…”

Paraplegic locomotion: a review

“…This is achieved entirely through neuromuscular control. (2) Mobility: The movement during locomotion involves two processes. Firstly, movement of the entire body in space and secondly, movement of various body segments relative to each other.…”

Impact of Respiratory Complications on Length of Stay and Hospital Costs in Acute Cervical Spine Injury

“…F ifty years ago, the short-term mortality rate from spinal cord injury was 20%. 1 Advances in the care of these catastrophically injured patients have significantly reduced mortality. [2][3][4][5][6] Currently, it is estimated that 7,000 to 8,000 individuals in the United States survive an initial spinal cord injury each year.…”