SPINAL SHOCK

Course overview

SPINAL SHOCK IS A RESULT OF SEVERE SPINAL CORD INJURY. IT USUALLY REQUIRES HIGH-IMPACT, DIRECT TRAUMA THAT LEADS TO SPINAL CORD INJURY AND SPINAL SHOCK. THE INITIAL ENCOUNTER WITH A PATIENT THAT HAS SPINAL SHOCK IS USUALLY UNDER A TRAUMA SCENARIO. ISCHEMIA OF THE SPINAL CORD CAN ALSO PRODUCE A SPINAL SHOCK, FOR EXAMPLE, A HYPOTENSIVE PATIENT IN THE MEDICAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT (ICU) OR A POST-ANGIOGRAPHY PATIENT WITH THROMBOTIC OCCLUSION OF ARTERIES THAT SUPPLY THE CERVICAL SPINE. TREATMENT OF ISCHEMIC TYPE SPINAL SHOCK IS DIFFERENT. THE OUTCOME EXPECTATIONS ARE ALSO DIFFERENT FROM SPINAL SHOCK ACHIEVED FROM A TRAUMATIC EVENT. SPINAL SHOCK AFTER A TRAUMATIC EVENT AFFECTS MOSTLY YOUNG; THE AVERAGE AGE IS 29. IT IS MORE COMMON IN MEN (80%) THAN IN WOMEN. CORD INJURY IS OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH FRACTURE-DISLOCATION, TEARING OF LIGAMENTS, ROTATIONAL DISTRACTION, AS WELL AS TEARING OF THE DISC SPACE. IF THE SPINAL SHOCK IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH SIGNIFICANT INJURY OF THE SPINAL COLUMN ITSELF, THEN THE PROGNOSIS FOR THESE PATIENTS IS MORE FAVORABLE THAN WHEN THE FRACTURE IS PRESENT. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF SPINAL SHOCK AND EXPLAINS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN MANAGING PATIENTS AFFECTED BY THIS CONDITION.