TITLE:
Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury in Enugu, Nigeria: Epidemeology and Outcome
AUTHORS:
Emmanuel Chino Iyidobi, Remigius Tochukwu Ekwunife, Cajethan Uwatoronye Nwadinigwe, Nduduisi Ebere Duru, Kenechi Anthony Madu, Chidi Nwoga
KEYWORDS:
Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury, Epidemeology, Outcome
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Biosciences and Medicines,
Vol.6 No.9,
September
25,
2018
ABSTRACT: Background: Spinal
cord injury represents one of the most physically and psychologically
devastating trauma. Before modern medicine, it was considered an ailment not to
be treated. In incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI), there is residual sensory
and/or motor function. Method: This was to determine the epidemiology,
treatment options and outcome of incomplete SCI at National Orthopedic Hospital
Enugu, Nigeria, over a 5 year period. This was a descriptive retrospective
study of patients managed for incomplete spinal cord injury between January
2011 and December 2015. This was to determine the epidemiology, various
treatment options and their outcome in patients with incomplete SCI managed in
our center. The patients’ biodata, mechanism of injury, time of presentation, pattern
of injury, level of injury, type of treatment, associated injuries,
complications, duration of treatment and American Spinal Injury Association
(ASIA) assessment at presentation and at discharge were collected. Data
analysis was done using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version
20.0. All tests were regarded as significant at P-values Results: A total
of 57 patients (49 males and 8 females) were included and analyzed showing a
male to female ratio of 6.3:1. Incomplete traumatic SCI forms about 44.2% of
all traumatic SCI in Enugu. This represents 0.09% of all patients and 0.9% of
all trauma patients seen. The cervical spine (59.6%) is the most commonly
affected isolated anatomic region. Road traffic accident (52.6%) was the most common
aeteology. Compression fracture was the commonest injury (33.3%). Majority of
the patients (57.9%) had ASIA C at presentation while 47.4% and 33.3% of the
patients had ASIA D and E respectively at discharge. Most of the patients
(91.2%) had conservative treatments. Conclusion: The significant ASIA
grade improvement of majority of the patients suggests good functional outcome
of incomplete SCI treated conservatively at our hospital.