SPINAL CORD ISCHEMIA

Course overview

SPINAL CORD ISCHEMIA AND INFARCTION OCCUR LESS FREQUENTLY THAN CEREBRAL INFARCTION BUT RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT MORTALITY, DISABILITY, AND REDUCED QUALITY OF LIFE IN SURVIVORS. MODERN IMAGING TECHNIQUES AND REFINED DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA HAVE INCREASED AWARENESS OF SPINAL CORD ISCHEMIA AND ENHANCED THE CURRENT KNOWLEDGE OF ITS PATHOPHYSIOLOGY. WITH PROMPT CLINICAL RECOGNITION AND JUDICIOUS USE OF DIAGNOSTIC STUDIES AND COMPREHENSIVE CLINICAL FOLLOW-UP, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, AND REHABILITATION, MANY PATIENTS CAN EXPERIENCE IMPROVED FUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE PATHOGENESIS, DIAGNOSIS, EVALUATION, AND TREATMENT OF SPINAL CORD ISCHEMIA AND EMPHASIZES THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.