[Various anatomic and clinical features of traumatic lesions of the spinal cord]

Results of a pathomorphological, experimental and clinical study designed to ascertain morphological changes associated with impairment of vital visceral functions following spinal cord trauma are presented. Clinical manifestations of such disorders were studied in 127 patients with complicated vertebral fractures. Further investigations involved postmortem examination of the brain of four patients with complete anatomical rupture of the spinal cord at the level of CV, CVI, and LI segments as well as the brain of 18 mature cats with various types of spinal cord resection which were treated by silver impregnation according to Bilshovsky, Naute with the final staining of the nuclear structures according to Kawamura-Niimy. Widespread degenerative changes in the ascending conduction tracts of the spinal cord leading to the structures of the cerebral trunk were revealed. Disruptions of respiratory and cardiovascular activities secondary to complete traumatic rupture of the lower cervical segments of the spinal cord appear to be caused by impaired conduction along the ascending tracts of the spinal cord leading to the nuclei of the reticular formation of the cerebral trunk, mainly those of giant and small cells, nuclei of the vagus nerve (dorsal one and that of the solitary tract), locus coeruleus, mesencephalic nuclei of the trigeminal nerve and a number of other structures of the cerebral trunk.