[Factors increasing life threat in patients with lesions of the spinal cord]

Mortality of spinal cord trauma has been analysed. An analysis included 3,486 patients treated early after spinal trauma in 1965-1989. Life threat in patients, who underwent trauma to the spinal cord embraces several factors. The most important is are: the level and degree of the lesion to the spinal cord, certain causes precipitating severe lesions to the nervous system, advanced age, and--to some degree--accompanying lesions, way of therapy, advances in medical technology, and intensive treatment technics. Available data indicate that the life of patients admitted to the hospital with symptoms of complete interruption of the cervical segment of the spinal cord is threatened to the highest degree. Falls from heights (scaffolding, roofs etc.), and certain road accidents are particularly dangerous. A special group of accidents is fall from the horse carriage in which advanced age of the victims plays the most important role. Mortality rate in the elderly is about tenfold higher, than in the group of subjects under 20 years with the same degree of lesions to the spine.