Data on spinal injuries--Part II. Outcome of the treatment of 352 consecutive admissions

The data collection system described in a previous study has been used to analyze some of the results of treatment of 352 consecutive admissions to the Spinal Injuries Unit, Austin Hospital. The results indicate that the basically conservative approach to the management of the spinal injury, supplemented by surgery in selected cases, appears to be vindicated by the low rate of instability of the spine, and good neurological sequelae of the spinal cord injury. An intermittent catheter regimen for management of the neurogenic bladder has resulted in a low rate of permanent indwelling catheterization on discharge from hospital and a low rate of urinary infections. The survival rate of patients in a well integrated unit, with a multi-disciplinary team, is high. The relatively long periods of hospitalization are justified by the return to the community of a high proportion of independent, healthy, disabled people.