Spinal Cord Injuries: Causes, Risk Factors & Management

Spinal cord injury (SCI) results from damage to the spinal cord due to trauma or disease and leads to partial or complete paralysis. Following SCI, physiological and lifestyle changes can lead to poor health outcomes. However, advances in injury stabilisation, medical treatment and rehabilitation have led to an increase in life expectancy. In this book, the authors present current research on the causes, risk factors and management of spinal cord injury. Topics include pain management following spinal cord injury; exercise training and its relation to slow bone loss in SCI; palliative and therapeutic strategies for SCI; NO-cGMP signalling in bulbospinal respiratory pathway after cervical spinal cord injury; and posterior pedicle screw fixation for thoracolumbar burst fractures.