Table 1. Summarized clinical data of 11 consecutive patients with AS-SCI admitted in our rehabilitation clinic, during 2010–2014.
| Case no. | Age years | Gap AS-SCI (years) | Previous spinal fracture | Co-morbidities | Etiology | Severity of trauma | Fracture level/complications | AIS add. | AIS disch. | Surgical treatment | Post surgical complications | Reintervention | General medical complications | Follow-up (months) AIS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 66 | 34 | — | TB | Fall (on stairs) | Medium energy | L2 transvertebral | C (T12) | D (T12) | PLF | Dehiscence | Suture, per secundam healing | N.bladder; N. bowel; anemia; | 1; D |
| 2 | 61 | 32 | Old SCI (odontoid & C6-7 dislocation) | Stroke sequela; T2D; HBP | Fall (0.5 m; wheelchair) | Low energy | C5; C5-6 dislocation | C (C5) | D (C5) | ACCF+Halo | — | — | N.bladder; UTI; depression | 15; D |
| 3 | 73 | 31 | Old SCI (C5-6, operated) | HBP; hip prosthesis; CHC | Back fall; body level | Low energy | L2 transvertebral; retroperitoneal hematoma | C (L2) | D (L2) | PLF | Minor bleeding, per secundam healing | — | N.bladder; UTI; N.Pain; HBP | 2; D |
| 4 | 57 | 27 | — | IHD; LBB; AF (pace maker); HBP; T2D; Depression; | Back fall; body level | Low energy | T7; epidural hematoma (C4-T9) | A (C7) | A (T1) | DL (C5, C6-7; T1,3, 5,7) | Spondylodiscitis (staphylococcus) | PLF | N.bladder; UTI; N. bowel; N.Pain; spasticity; postural hypotension: depression; anemia | 12; A |
| 5 | 59 | 25 | — | Obesity II; [2]Cox; T2D; SMPN | Back fall; body level | Low energy | T11 (+T2 lamina) | C (T7) | D (T11) | DL (T10) | T10 non- compressive meningocele | DL (T2-3) | N.bladder; N.Pain; spasticity; depression | 48; E |
| 6 | 51 | 23 | Old SCI (C1,C2 odontoid 1989) | T2D; obesity; polytrauma: mild TBI; bilat.pleurisy | Car accident (passenger) | High energy | L1 transvertebral; T12-L1 dislocation | D (T10) | D (T10) | ALIF+PLF | Dehiscence | Suture, per secundam healing | N.bladder; UTI | 36; E |
| 7 | 42 | 15 | — | HBP; alcoholism | Fall (1;5 m) | Medium energy | C3-4 transvertebral; epidural hematoma | D (C4) | D (C4) | DL (C3-4; C6-7) | — | — | Spasticity; anemia | 1; D |
| 8 | 43 | 14 | — | Obesity III | Body level fall | Low energy | C5-6 dislocation | A (C5) | A (C5) | ACCF | — | — | N.bladder; N. bowel; UTI; spasticity; diabetes insipidus; respiratory infection; OcI | 21; A |
| 9 | 45 | 14 | — | Polytrauma: mild TBI; bilat. pleurisy Heavy smoker; alcoholism | Fall (height) work accident | High energy | T10/11 dislocation | C (T11) | D (L2) | PLF+PMMA | — | — | N.bladder; UTI; N. bowel; respiratory infection; enterocolitis | 6; E |
| 10 | 48 | 11 | — | T2D; obesity II; stroke sequela | Body level fall | Low energy | C6 | A (C5) | A (C5) | ACCF | — | — | N.bladder; UTI; N. bowel; N.Pain; pressure sore; spasticity; postural hypotension; autonomous dysreflexia (HBP+epileptic seizure); depression; respiratory infection | 24; A |
| 11 | 56 | 10 | — | polytrauma:TBI;Heavy smoker | Cyclist (rode accident) | High energy | L1 | A (L1) | A (L1) | PLF +PMMA | Implant loosening, migration | Repositioning | N.bladder; N. bowel; anemia; | 2; A |
Abbreviations: [2]Cox, [bilateral] coxarthrosis; ACCF, anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion (cervical decompression, anterior bone graft, metallic instrumentation); AF, atrial fibrillation; ALIF, (anterior lumbar interbody fusion, with bone); bilat., bilaterally; CHC, chronic hepatitis C; DL, decompressive laminectomy; Gap AS-SCI, time (measured in years) elapsed since the onset of AS and the associated spinal fracture (-s) moment; Halo, halo-vest instrumentation; HBP, high blood pressure; IHD, ischemic heart disease; LBB, left bundle branch block; N.bladder, neurogenic bladder; N.bowel, Neurogenic bowel; N.Pain, neuropathic pain; OcI, sub-occlusive intestinal syndrome; PLF, posterior lumbar fusion (decompressive laminectomy and unilateral/bilateral posterior metallic instrumentation with screws and rods); PMMA, polymethylmethacrylate vertebroplasty; SCI, spinal cord injury; SMPN, sensory-motor polyneuropathy; T2D, type 2 diabetes; TB, pulmonary tuberculosis; TBI, traumatic brain injury; UTI, symptomatic urinary tract infection.