Clinical Assessment and Management of Acute Spinal Cord Injury

The information contained in this article is suitable for clinicians practicing in the United States desiring a general overview of the assessment and management of spinal cord injury (SCI), focusing on initial care, assessment, acute management, complications, prognostication, and future research directions. SCI presents significant challenges, affecting patients physically, emotionally, and financially, with variable recovery outcomes ranging from full functionality to lifelong dependence on caregivers. Initial care aims to minimize secondary injury through thorough neurological evaluations and imaging studies to assess the severity of the injury. Acute management prioritizes stabilizing respiratory and cardiovascular functions and maintaining proper spinal cord perfusion. Patients with unstable or progressive neurological decline benefit from timely surgical intervention to optimize neurological recovery. Subacute management focuses on addressing common complications affecting the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary systems, emphasizing a holistic, multidisciplinary approach. Prognostication is currently based on neurological assessments and imaging findings, but emerging biomarkers offer the potential to refine outcome predictions further. Additionally, novel therapeutic interventions, such as hypothermia therapy and neuroprotective medications are being explored to mitigate secondary damage and enhance recovery. This paper serves as a high-yield refresher for clinicians for the assessment and management of acute spinal cord injury during index admission.