Spine trauma due to diving: main features and short-term neurological outcome

This is a retrospective study.

The aim of this study is to examine the main features and short-term neurological outcomes associated with injuries to the spine due to diving into water in a Latin American country.

Salvador, Brazil.

A total of 1324 subjects were admitted with spinal trauma between 1991 and 2006 (inclusive). Subjects aged between 14 and 65 years who sustained diving injuries corresponded to 10.6% (N=140) of the cases.

Neurological status was determined by the Frankel Functional Scale (FFS) on admission and discharge. The FFS was secondarily converted to the American Spinal Injury Association impairment scale.

This study is a patient record database review that examines demographic and injury-related characteristics, details of hospital treatment and neurological status at the time of discharge.

Males (N=129) outnumbered females (N=11) in a proportion of 12:1 (mean age: 28.62 years). The cervical spine region was the most affected area (92.1%) and 45% of the cases presented with tetraplegia. On admission, neurologically complete lesions accounted for 32.1% of the overall cases and 45.7% were neurologically intact. The mean length of stay (7.7 weeks) did not differ with regard to treatment option (P=0.83). During hospitalization, patients with incomplete neurological impairment had shorter lengths of stay and showed more neurological improvement than those with complete lesions (P=0.26 and 64.5 versus 2.2%, P<0.0001).

Diving spine injuries have a high tetraplegia rate. Neurological recovery and shorter length of stay are associated with incomplete lesions.