Acute Spinal Cord Injury

Curriculum Reference

15.9.2 Delivers safe perioperative care to adults requiring complex spine surgery.

15.9.2 Delivers safe peri-operative anaesthetic care to adults for emergency intracranial surgery, CSF diversions, spinal surgery and endovascular thrombectomy.

SSM NICU: Can recognise, resuscitate and initiate treatment of the patient with acute neurological injury, having an enhanced understanding of the specific neuropathophysiologies. They will be able to institute advanced pharmacological and physical therapeutic interventions, and continue ongoing diagnostic and disease management strategies, including multi-organ support.

Publications

Initial management of acute spinal cord injury CEACCP 13(6) 224-231 (2013)

Respiratory complications of SCI https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5335574/

Autonomic dysreflexia https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482434/

Airway management in patients with suspected or confirmed traumatic spinal cord injury: a narrative review of current evidence

https://associationofanaesthetists-publications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/anae.15807

Further Reading (incl. Key Trials)

National Acute Spinal Cord Injury Trial: Methylprednisolone versus Tirilazad Mesylate

National Guidance/Standards

A Clinical Practice Guideline for the of Acute Spinal Cord Injury: Introduction, Rationale, and Scope

e-learning

Cervical Spine Trauma

RCoA Audit Compendium

12.4 Initial management of spinal cord injury.

12.6 Management of the unconscious patient in intensive care at risk of spinal cord injury.

FICM Standard
Following traumatic spinal cord injury, a specialist neurosurgical or spinal surgeon at the major trauma centre or trauma unit must contact the linked spinal cord injury centre consultant within four hours of diagnosis to establish a partnership of care.

NACCS Video