Subacute posttraumatic ascending myelopathy is a rare disorder, unrelated to syrinx formation or mechanical instability, which may gradually emerge within the first 1-2 weeks after a spinal cord injury and may lead to diagnostic and prognostic dilemmas. We present a case of 24-year-old female with unstable wedge compression fracture of L1 vertebrae with signal changes in the upper lumbar cord causing complete paraplegia below D9 with bladder and bowel involvement. In the subsequent week, she developed a delayed progressively increasing neurological deficit with cord signal abnormality on MRI extending cephalad from the injury site to the upper dorsal cord. The patient had no initial clinical improvement initially but showed a delayed recovery over months.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Spinal Cord Diseases ; etiology ; therapy ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; complications ; Spinal Fractures ; complications

Since loss of oligodendrocytes and consequent demyelination of spared axons severely impair the functional recovery of injured spinal cord, it is reasonably expected that the reduction of oligodendroglial death and enhanced remyelination of demyelinated axons will have a therapeutic potential to treat spinal cord injury. Amelioration of axonal myelination in the injured spinal cord is valuable for recovery of the neural function of incompletely injured patients. Here, this article presents an overview about the pathophysiology and mechanism of axonal demyelination in spinal cord injury and discusses its therapeutic significance in the treatment of spinal cord injury. Moreover, it further introduces the recent strategies to improve the axonal myeliantion to facilitate functional recovery of spinal cord injury.
Animals ; Demyelinating Diseases ; therapy ; Humans ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; therapy

Spinal cord injury (SCI) has been considered an incurable condition and it often causes devastating sequelae. In terms of the pathophysiology of SCI, reducing secondary damage is the key to its treatment. Various researches and clinical trials have been performed, and some of them showed promising results; however, there is still no gold standard treatment with sufficient evidence. Two therapeutic concepts for SCI are neuroprotective and neuroregenerative strategies. The neuroprotective strategy modulates the pathomechanism of SCI. The purpose of neuroprotective treatment is to minimize secondary damage following direct injury. The aim of neuroregenerative treatment is to enhance the endogenous regeneration process and to alter the intrinsic barrier. With advancement in biotechnology, cell therapy using cell transplantation is currently under investigation. This review discusses the pathophysiology of SCI and introduces the therapeutic candidates that have been developed so far.
Biotechnology ; Cell Transplantation ; Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapy ; Regeneration ; Spinal Cord Injuries* ; Spinal Cord* ; Transplants

OBJECTIVE: To calculate the colonic transit time (CTT) and to evaluate the effect of combined therapy of cisapride and lactulose on neurogenic bowel dysfunction in patients with chronic spinal cord injury. METHOD: This study was prospectively designed. Right (rCTT), left (lCTT), rectosigmoid (rsCTT), and total (tCTT) colonic transit times were measured using the radio-opaque marker technique in twenty patients with spinal cord injury (SCI group), of which mean age was 39 years (range: 13~67 years) and median duration after SCI was 15 months (4-252 months). Ten ambulatory stroke patients (mean age 49 years, median duration, 12 months) were also evaluated as control group. All CTTs in both groups were compared by unpaired Student's t-test. In SCI group, the therapeutic effect of combined administration of cisapride (10 mg p.o. t.i.d) and lactulose (134.0 g/100 ml, 30-45 ml per day p.o.) was statistically analyzed by paired Student's t-test. RESULTS: Total (p<0.0001) and segmental CTT (p<0.01) except right colon were significantly delayed in SCI group when compared to the control group. In SCI group, tCTT of non-ambulatory patients (n=13) and rCTT, lCTT, rsCTT and total CTT of ambulatory patients (n=7) were significantly decreased after the combined drug therapy (p<0.05). In ambulatory SCI patients, duration after injury showed negative correlation with tCTT (Pearson's correlation coefficient r = 0.8407, p=0.0178). CONCLUSION: Combined therapy of cisapride and lactulose can improve tCTT in SCI patients with neurogenic bowel dysfunction.
Cisapride* ; Colon ; Drug Therapy ; Humans ; Lactulose* ; Neurogenic Bowel* ; Prospective Studies ; Spinal Cord Injuries* ; Spinal Cord* ; Stroke

OBJECTIVE: To explore the influence of electroacupuncture (EA) on the expression of AMPA receptor subunit GluR1 in the rats with acute spinal cord injury (SCI) and explore the potential effect mechanism of EA in treatment of acute SCI. METHODS: A total of 80 SD rats were randomly divided into five groups, i.e. a sham-operation group, a model group, an AMPA antagonist (DNQX) group, an EA group and a DNQX+EA group, 16 rats in each group. The modified Allen's impacting method was adopted to prepare the rat model of acute SCI at T RESULTS: Compared to the sham-operation group in 6 h, 24 h and 48 h after modeling, the BBB scores were all significantly decreased in the model group ( CONCLUSION The intervention with EA at "Dazhui" and "Mingmen" promotes the repair of the injured nerve in the spinal anterior horn probably through inhibiting GluR1 expression in the spinal injured area in the rats with acute SCI.
Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, AMPA/genetics* ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Cord Injuries/therapy*

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical effect on intestinal dysfunction of spinal cord injury (SCI) between the comprehensive therapy of moxibustion (moxibustion for opening the governor vessel and regulating the spirit) and rehabilitation training and the simple treatment with rehabilitation training. METHODS: A total of 60 patients with intestinal dysfunction of SCI were randomized into a comprehensive therapy group and a rehabilitation group, 30 cases in each one (3 cases were dropped out in each group). On the base of the routine western medicine treatment and rehabilitation training, the bowel training and rectal function training were provided, once a day in the rehabilitation group. In the comprehensive therapy group, on the base of the treatment as the rehabilitation group, the moxibustion was exerted at Yaoyangguan (GV 3), Mingmen (GV 4), Zhiyang (GV 9), Dazhui (GV 14) and Baihui (GV 20), etc, once a day, 30 min each time. In both groups, the treatment for 4 weeks was as one course and 3 courses of treatment were required. Separately, before treatment, after 4, 8 and 12 weeks of treatment, the scores of neurogenic bowel dysfunction (NBD) and World Health Organization quality of life scale (WHOQOL-BREF) were observed and the clinical effect was evaluated after 12 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: After treatment, the total effective rate was 88.9% (24/27) in the comprehensive therapy group, which was higher than 74.1% (20/27) in the rehabilitation group (<0.05). After 4, 8 and 12 weeks of treatment, NBD scores were all reduced obviously as compared with those before treatment in the two groups (all <0.01). After 8 and 12 weeks of treatment, NBD scores in the comprehensive therapy group were lower than the rehabilitation group (both <0.05). After 4, 8 and 12 weeks of treatment, the scores of all of the domains (psychology, physiology, social relations and environment) in WHOQOL-BREF were higher than those before treatment in the two groups (all <0.01). After 4 weeks of treatment, the scores in the psychology and physiology domains in the comprehensive therapy group were higher than the rehabilitation group (all <0.05). After 8 and 12 weeks of treatment, the scores of all of the domains in the comprehensive therapy group were higher than the rehabilitation group (all <0.05). CONCLUSION The comprehensive treatment of moxibustion and rehabilitation training achieves the better effect on intestinal dysfunction of SCI than the simple rehabilitation training and greatly improves the quality of life in SCI patients.
Acupuncture Points ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; Quality of Life ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; therapy

Spinal cord injury is a highly disabled neurological disease, and there is still a lack of effective treatments. Studies have proved that olfactory ensheathing cells are one of the ideal seed cells for promoting nerve regeneration after spinal cord injury. Olfactory ensheathing cells can promote axonal germination and elongation through secretion, interaction with astrocytes, regulation of inflammatory reaction, migration characteristics, myelination, anti-oxidation, lipid regulation and other channels. Thus olfactory ensheathing cells play the role of neuroprotection and nerve repair. In recent years, some studies have used bioengineering, tissue engineering, reprogramming and other technologies to enhance the efficacy of olfactoryensheathing cells from different aspects, thereby providing new therapeutic strategies for optimizing the cell therapy of spinal cord injury. This article will summarize the mechanism of olfactory ensheathing cells in repairing spinal cord injury, and review the progress of optimizing strategy of olfactory ensheathing cells in treating spinal cord injury recently, so as to provide new research ideas for the further developing the repair potential of olfactory ensheathing cells and optimize the cell therapy effect of spinal cord injury.
Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Nerve Regeneration ; Spinal Cord Injuries/therapy*

Pediatric and adult spinal cord injuries (SCI) are distinct entities. Children and adolescents with SCI must suffer from lifelong disabilities, which is a heavy burden on patients, their families and the society. There are differences in Chinese and foreign literature reports on the incidence, injury mechanism and prognosis of SCI in children and adolescents. In addition to traumatic injuries such as car accidents and falls, the proportion of sports injuries is increasing. The most common sports injury is the backbend during dance practice. Compared with adults, children and adolescents are considered to have a greater potential for neurological improvement. The pathogenesis and treatment of pediatric SCI remains unclear. The mainstream view is that the mechanism of nerve damage in pediatric SCI include flexion, hyperextension, longitudinal distraction and ischemia. We also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of drugs such as methylprednisolone in the treatment of pediatric SCI and the indications and timing of surgery. In addition, the complications of pediatric SCI are also worthy of attention. New imaging techniques such as diffusion tensor imaging and diffusion tensor tractography may be used for diagnosis and assessment of prognosis. This article reviews the epidemiology, pathogenesis, imaging, clinical characteristics, treatment and complications of SCI in children and adolescents. Although current treatment cannot completely restore neurological function, patient quality of life can be enhanced. Continued developments and advances in the research of SCI may eventually provide a cure for children and adolescents with this kind of injury.
Adult ; Child ; Humans ; Adolescent ; Diffusion Tensor Imaging/methods* ; Quality of Life ; Spinal Cord Injuries/therapy* ; Prognosis ; Athletic Injuries ; Spinal Cord/pathology*

The pathophysiology of complex regional pain syndrome is still unkown. Implantation of spinal cord stimulator is generally considered to be a safe and effective procedure. The reported complications are generally minor without serious neurologic deficit. A 21-year-old male patient with CRPS in the right foot had undergone spinal cord stimulator implantation. After the surgery, spinal epidural hemorrhage occurred and he became paraplegic. After spinal cord injury, symptoms of CRPS disappeared. This supports the hypothesis of spinal neuronal sensitization. This case would help to understand pathophysiology of CRPS development.
Electric Stimulation Therapy ; Foot ; Hematoma, Epidural, Spinal ; Humans ; Male ; Neurologic Manifestations ; Neurons ; Spinal Cord ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; Young Adult

China ; Disaster Medicine ; methods ; Earthquakes ; Humans ; Rescue Work ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; complications ; therapy ; Spinal Injuries ; complications ; therapy