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Updated: Aug 9, 2026
07:28
A Contusive Model of Unilateral Cervical Spinal Cord Injury Using the Infinite Horizon Impactor
Published on: July 24, 2012
Spinal cord injury: a 25-year morbidity and mortality study
B L Rish1, J F Dilustro, A M Salazar
1Department of Neurosurgery, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA, USA.
Military Medicine
|February 1, 1997
Summary
Long-term spinal cord injury survivors face significant health challenges, including sepsis and psychosocial issues. Mortality rates remain higher than in uninjured populations, with suicide being a major concern for paraplegics.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Spinal cord injury (SCI) presents lifelong health challenges.
- Understanding long-term morbidity and mortality is crucial for patient care and resource allocation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze morbidity and mortality patterns in SCI patients over 25 years.
- To identify major health complications and causes of death post-SCI.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of a cohort of 230 SCI patients from the Vietnam Head and Spinal Cord Injury Study Registry.
- Review of military and Veteran's Hospital medical records and Department of Veterans Affairs death records.
Main Results:
- Sepsis, related to genitourinary and decubiti issues, was the primary morbidity concern.
- Psychosocial maladjustment and substance abuse were prevalent, increasing healthcare demand.
- Sepsis was the leading cause of death; suicide rates in paraplegics were 10 times higher than in uninjured peers.
Conclusions:
- Long-term SCI survivors experience persistent health issues, notably sepsis and psychosocial challenges.
- Mortality rates, particularly due to sepsis and suicide, remain elevated compared to the general population.
- Survival rates after 5 years, while improving, do not fully match those of uninjured individuals.
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