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Updated: Jul 20, 2026
A Neonatal Mouse Spinal Cord Compression Injury Model
Published on: March 27, 2016
[Pediatric acute spinal cord injury]
G Claret Teruel1, V Trenchs Sáinz de la Maza, A Palomeque Rico
1Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos, Unidad Integrada Hospital Sant Joan de Déu-Clínic, Universidad de Barcelona, Barcelona, España. gclaret@hsjdbcn.org
Insights
Pediatric acute spinal cord injuries are rare but can lead to severe disability. Early tracheostomy and home ventilation support enable earlier discharge and improved outcomes for affected children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric neurology
- Critical care medicine
- Spinal cord injury research
Context:
- Pediatric acute spinal cord injury (SCI) is uncommon but results in significant disability and prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) stays.
- Understanding the epidemiology and outcomes is crucial for improving care.
Purpose:
- To determine the epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnostics, treatment, and outcomes of pediatric acute SCI.
- To assess if early tracheostomy facilitates earlier patient discharge.
Summary:
- A retrospective analysis of 16 pediatric patients with acute SCI admitted to a tertiary pediatric ICU was conducted.
- Causes included birth trauma, traumatic injuries, vascular malformations, and post-operative complications.
- 56.2% underwent tracheostomy, and 83% of survivors were discharged home.
Impact:
- Early tracheostomy, home invasive ventilation, and parent education are key factors for earlier discharge.
- These interventions improve the likelihood of pediatric SCI survivors returning home.
Introduction:
Pediatric acute spinal cord injury is rare but is often associated with significant disability and prolonged stay in the intensive care unit (ICU).
Objectives:
The main objective of this study was to determine the epidemiology, initial clinical abnormalities, diagnostic studies, treatment and outcome of acute spinal cord injuries in a tertiary level pediatric hospital. A second objective was to analyze whether early tracheostomy allows earlier discharge of these patients.
Patients And Methods:
A retrospective analysis of patients with acute spinal cord injuries admitted to our pediatric ICU since 1992 was performed.
Results:
We included 16 patients in the study, 12 of whom were boys (75 %). The patients were aged from birth to 19 years on admission to the ICU. The length of stay in the ICU was between 12 hours and 6 years. The cause of the lesion was birth trauma in four patients; one died and the remaining three live at home under mechanical ventilation. Traumatic injuries occurred in seven patients, two of whom died; a further two live in a long-term care facility and the remaining three live at home. Vascular spinal malformation occurred in two patients, and the three remaining injuries occurred during the acute postoperative period following spinal surgery. Of the 16 children, 56.2 % were tracheostomized and 83 % of the survivors live at home.
Conclusions:
Early tracheostomy, the availability of invasive ventilation for home use and parent education permit earlier discharge of these patients and allow more of them to live at home.
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