Vascular events after spinal cord injury: Contribution to secondary pathogenesis

Traumatic spinal cord injury results in the disruption of neural and vascul ar structures (primary injury) and is characterized by an evolution of seco ndary pathogenic events that collectively define the extent of functional r ecovery. This article reviews the vascular responses to spinal cord injury, focusing on both early and delayed events, including intraparenchymal hemo rrhage, inflammation, disruption of the blood-spinal cord barrier, and angi ogenesis. These vascular-related events not only influence the evolution of secondary tissue damage but also define an environment that fosters neural plasticity in the chronically injured spinal cord.