Mediating the Secondary Effects of Spinal Cord Injury Through Optimization of Key Physiologic Parameters

Spinal cord injury remains a challenging clinical entity with considerable socioeconomic impact on patients, their families, and the healthcare system. Advances in medical care and rehabilitation continue to improve, but treatment outcomes following tissue regeneration for spinal cord injury remain dismal. Therefore, attempts at mediating the secondary effects of spinal cord injury remain the mainstay of current treatment. Recent studies evaluating the timing of decompression suggest improved neurologic recovery with early surgical decompression and the maintenance of mean arterial pressures >85 mm Hg. With systemic and local treatments, including riluzole, minocycline, GM1 ganglioside, BA-210, and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor, remaining in their infancy, randomized controlled trials demonstrating efficacy are needed before adopting their widespread use.