How to treat spine fracture with spinal cord injury?

Spine fracture with spinal cord injury caused by trauma, e.g. shock. The vertebrae are broken, shifted, compressed, causing the spinal cord injury. Such lesions usually arise from a knife or firearm, causing such effects as a concussion of the spinal cord.

Then, a few days or even weeks to appear and other damage that occur due to bleeding. The person has swelling begins to develop inflammation, and around the spinal cord accumulate large amount of fluid.

Causes of the nerve fibers

When the above-described lesions of the vertebrae occurs trauma knots of nerves, which are located on the spinal cord and pass through areas of the shifting of individual parts of the spine. While injured and the surrounding muscles. Usually these injuries happen in the area of the cervical or lower back (often on the back). In these cases there appear the following problems:

1. Difficulties with movement.
2. Violations occur in the gastrointestinal tract.
3. Poorly functioning bladder.
4. The problems of a sexual nature.
5. It becomes difficult to breathe.
6. Bad working legs and arms.

Because the spinal cord ends at the lower limit of the first vertebra of the lower back, area below this area is almost not affected. But when damaged, this division of the pelvis, or back may be affected nerve endings that are located there. While there are almost all the above signs of damage.

The symptoms that occur when fracture of the spine with spinal cord injury

Manifestations of the disease depend mainly on two factors:

1. The location of the damage. If problems occur on the upper parts of the spinal cord may lead to extensive paralysis. For example, with the defeat of the cervical spine in humans, numb limbs, and he can only breathe with the help of a special apparatus for artificial respiration. If lesions covered the lumbar-pelvic area, paralyzed the lower part of the patient's body and legs.
2. Fractures of the spine can occur with partial or complete spinal cord lesions.

In the first case is almost completely lost motor function of the body, and the person feels nothing below the affected area, though even when the damage to a large area of the spinal cord it is never fully disabled. Note thatpatients with such lesions to recover can not.

In case of partial damage, the patient remains some sensitivity and motor function, which gives the possibility to fully recover.

When spine fracture with subsequent spinal cord injury manifested by such symptoms:

1. A burning sensation occurs when the affected nerve endings of this body.
2. The patient loses the ability to move.
3. You may not have the ability to discern the cold and heat, or touching the body of the patient he did not feel.
4. Problems with bladder and bowels.
5. Can appear spasms or reflex activity.
6. Suffer sexual function.
7. Patient is impeded respiration process. You may receive a cough or occur the expectoration of lung secretions.

There is a critical symptoms of the spinal cord (SSM):

1. The patient often loses consciousness.
2. Pain syndrome or pressure in the neck or lower back.
3. Paralyzed one or the other part of the body.
4. Possible loss of coordination.
5. Full numbness, loss of sensation or tingling in the fingers and hands or feet.
6. There are problems with the movement and ability to keep balance.
7. Breathing difficulties, bowel problems and bladder.
8. Distorted or incorrect position of the body after a spinal fracture and damage to the fibers of the spinal cord.

When to seek medical help

All that was described above may occur immediately after the fracture of the vertebrae or gradually over several days or weeks. The time between injury and the beginning of the treatment process is considered critical. Depend on the size of future complications and the possibility of the victim to recover.

When the spine fracture should immediately call an ambulance or take the person to a medical examination. If there are suspicions on damage to the neck or back, better yourself the victim not to move and wait for the arrival of doctors.

Doctors "first aid" first aid to the patient, taking into account possible damage areas of the spinal cord and the unstable nature of the patient's condition, which causes a fracture of the spine.

Therefore, is a so-called immobilization of these bodies. It prevents further deterioration of the patient. For this purpose, a special rigid collars that are worn on the neck. The victimplaced on a hard Board until over a preliminary. Then the patient is driven to the survey.

Method of diagnosing damages

Initially doctors conduct visual inspection, check of motor and sensory abilities of the patient, asking questions about how he received an injury of the spine. If the victim is unconscious, or feels pain in the neck, weakness in the arms and legs, or has other disorders neuralgic in nature, it is urgent examination and diagnosis.

To do this, use the following methods:

1. Applies to radiographic equipment. With its help, you can reveal compression or damage to the vertebrae and occurred at the site of lesion, the tumor, degenerative changes or fracture in the spine.
2. Computed tomography is used to obtain qualitative information about pathology, which is revealed by the use of x-ray equipment.
3. Tomography magnetic resonance method helps in those situations when it is necessary to identify problems in the spinal cord or herniated, resulting in the intervertebral space. Identify other pathology that may lead to compression of fibers of the spinal cord, for example, blood clots, bone formation, etc. MRI cannot be used if the patient has an artificial heart valve or pacemaker. This also applies to people who need to use artificial life, or patients who use devices to stretch the cervical area of the spine.
4. Myelography more clearly shows doctors the nerve endings of the victim. He injected the contrast into the spinal region and with the help of x-rays or computed tomography to determine the presence of different kinds of tumors at the site of fracture of the spine. Usually this method is used when it is impossible to make the victim an MRI. This method gives doctors additional information about the patient's condition.
5. Then conducted a neurological examination of the patient and establishes the severity of his injuries. When this is calculated, the period of possible recovery of the patient. For more data it is possible to conduct MRI, CT or x-ray examination.

Treatment of the patient with a fracture of spinal column with spinal cord injury

Starts the cure of the patient at an early stage using the methods described above, immobilization. Then move to drug therapy. In acute brain-injured back doctors prescribe methylprednisolone - a corticosteroid,which kind of restores the affected area of the body. But it must be done in the initial eight hours after the injury. Then to stabilize the patient may require traction of the vertebrae separate areas. Because with a broken back, needs surgery to repair it. To do this, remove the bone fragments that are in the affected area. Then portions of the vertebrae are removed, foreign objects.

It is necessary to consider the fact that in severe cases surgeons are not always able to completely restore the spine. Surgical intervention are subjected to 49-51% of the total number of patients remaining treated by conservative methods.

While surgery is stabilization of the vertebrae with metal implants. If there are no complications, the patient begins to move for 2-3 days.

Then there is the issue of the permanent patient care. This is to avoid pressure sores, do not have any infection of the channels for exit of urine from the body, formed blood clots, etc.

In the first stage, a person has to do special exercises for paralyzed limbs, he needs help to empty your bowel and bladder, RUB the skin. At the hospital, the patient can last from several days to 5-6 weeks.

It all depends on the severity of the initial lesions and the success of therapy.

Rehabilitation of a person after the operation starts in the clinic and continues in special institutions. This is physiotherapy, which helps to restore strength in the hands and feet. All family members undergo the special consultation on the treatment of the patient.

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Are prescribed various drugs that are used to relieve complications of, for example, antibiotics. They are needed for infection control channels of output of urine. Sometimes a patient needs a wheelchair.