Figure 1.

Illustration of spinal cord injury in a compressed (A) and decompressed (B) state.

Prior to surgical decompression (A), the cord remains compressed by protruding bone fragments that result in increased intrathecal pressure. However, even following surgical decompression, when the compression bone has been removed (B), there are increases in intrathecal pressure at the injury site given that the cord significantly swells and abuts against the non-yielding dura mater. CSF: Cerebrospinal fluid.