RESPIRATORY COMPLICATIONS AFTER CERVICAL SPINAL-CORD INJURY

Study Design. Sixty-five consecutive cases of acute cervical spinal co rd injuries were reviewed retrospectively for respiratory complication s. Objectives. The objectives were to identify factors that may contri bute to respiratory dysfunction and to evaluate therapeutic measures d esigned to reduce respiratory complications. Summary of Background Dat a. Respiratory complications continue to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality after cervical spinal cord injury with a reported incid ence from 36 to 83%. Methods. Multiple factors were evaluated which co uld potentially influence the incidence or severity of respiratory com plications. These included age, pre-existing cardiac or pulmonary dise ase, accompanying major injuries, and the severity of the spinal cord injury. The effects of various therapeutic measures were also assessed including the benefit of rotating beds, early fracture stabilization and patient mobilization. Results. Respiratory complications occurred in 62% of these patients and were transient in nature, variable in sev erity and duration, strongly associated with the severity of spinal co rd injury, and only marginally affected by therapeutic interventions. Conclusions. The characteristics of respiratory dysfunction following cervical spinal cord injury correspond to those of spinal shock.