Mechanisms of isolated spinal cord injury in children

Abstract

Objective. To study the mechanisms of spinal cord injury in children of different age groups. Material and Methods. А retrospective analysis of the results of treatment of 217 children aged 1 to 15 years with trau- matic injuries of the spine and spinal cord was performed. Group A included patients with spinal cord injury without dam- age to the spine (n = 139), and Group B – with spinal cord injury accompanied by spinal column injury (n = 78). McAffe сlassification of spinal injury mechanisms was used. Neurological deficit was evaluated according to the Frankel scale. Main causes and mechanisms of these injuries were studied. Results. Principal mechanisms of spinal cord injury in children were as follows: distractive extension and compressive flex- ion for isolated SCIWORA-type injuries, and compressive flexion for the spine and spinal cord injuries. Conclusion. The most pronounced neurological deficit is observed after exposure to compression-flexion mechanism of in- jury. Traction mechanisms of injury cause severe neurological disorders peculiar to SCIWORA syndrome.

Keywords

• injury
• mechanisms
• spinal cord
• children
• sciwora
• sciwona