THE PATHOMECHANICS AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF CERVICAL SPINAL-CORD INJURY

Cervical cord injuries caused during American football games have resu lted in reversible, incompletely reversible, and irreversible neurolog ic deficits. An explanation for this variable response to injury has b een obtained from the study of the histochemical responses of a squid axon injury model to mechanical deformation. Data obtained indicate th at recovery or lack thereof is directly proportional to the intracellu lar calcium concentration which in turn is directly proportional to th e amount and rate of tension applied to the axon. It is concluded that in most instances of acute spinal injury, disruption of cord function is a result of the effects of local cord anoxia and the increased con centration of intracellular calcium. It is proposed that Implementatio n of therapeutic measures that restore blood flow and reduce cytosolic calcium will increase neurologic recovery.