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Before the widespread use of spinal precautions in the 1970s, 55% of patients referred to spinal cord injury centers had complete spinal cord injury. [12] In the 1980s, spinal immobilization was initially used routinely for people who had experienced physical trauma, with little evidence to support its use. [ 21 ]
Spinal column injury is trauma that causes fracture of the bone or instability of the ligaments in the spine; this can coexist with or cause injury to the spinal cord, but each injury can occur without the other. [23] Abnormalities might show up on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), but the term was coined before MRI was in common use. [24]
Once the spinal injury has occurred, one of two things may happen. Firstly, hemorrhaging within the spinal cord may cause compression, which damages the spinal cord even further. Another consequence of myelomalacia is improper circulation of blood to the area damaged, resulting in further damage to the spinal cord. [citation needed]
Tethering may also develop after spinal cord injury. Scar tissue can block the flow of fluids around the spinal cord. Fluid pressure may cause cysts to form in the spinal cord, a condition called syringomyelia. This can lead to additional loss of movement or feeling, or the onset of pain or autonomic nervous system symptoms. [6]
Primary spinal tumors begin in either the spinal cord or spinal column, whereas secondary spinal tumors begin elsewhere and spread to the spinal region. [25] Symptoms for spinal tumors may vary due to factors such as the type of tumor, the region of the spine, and the health of the patient.
When due to trauma, myelopathy is known as (acute) spinal cord injury. When inflammatory, it is known as myelitis. Disease that is vascular in nature is known as vascular myelopathy. In Asian populations, spinal cord compression often occurs due to a different, inflammatory process affecting the posterior longitudinal ligament. [citation needed]
The most common causes of cord compression are tumors, but abscesses and granulomas (e.g. in tuberculosis) are equally capable of producing the syndrome. Tumors that commonly cause cord compression are lung cancer (non-small cell type), breast cancer, prostate cancer, renal cell carcinoma, thyroid cancer, lymphoma and multiple myeloma.
Brown-Séquard syndrome may be caused by injury to the spinal cord resulting from a spinal cord tumor, trauma (such as a fall or injury from gunshot or puncture to the cervical or thoracic spine), ischemia (obstruction of a blood vessel), or infectious or inflammatory diseases such as tuberculosis, or multiple sclerosis. In its pure form, it is ...