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Spinal Cord Injuries

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Surgical Intensive Care Medicine

Abstract

Approximately, 200,000 people in the United States have spinal cord injuries (SCI), and some 10,000 new injuries occur annually. Most new victims are between 18 and 30 years old. The lifetime costs of paraplegia for such patients can exceed several million dollars in medical support and lost wages. The potential mechanisms of injury include compression, distraction, acceleration–deceleration, and shearing forces, as well as direct section from penetrating injuries.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, Illinois Neuro-Spine Center, Rush Copley Medical Center, Aurora, IL, USA

    Fred H. Geisler (Founder)

  2. WPCMath, Buffalo, NY, USA

    William P. Coleman (Biostatistician)

Authors
  1. Fred H. Geisler
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  2. William P. Coleman
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgical Critical Care Division of Surgery, The Lahey Clinic Medical Center, Burlington, MA, USA

    John M. O’Donnell (Director, Surgical Intensive Care Unit Chairman) (Director, Surgical Intensive Care Unit Chairman)

  2. University Hospital Intensive Care Medicine, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

    Flávio E. Nácul

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Geisler, F.H., Coleman, W.P. (2010). Spinal Cord Injuries. In: O’Donnell, J.M., Nácul, F.E. (eds) Surgical Intensive Care Medicine. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-77893-8_14

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