Journal of neurotrauma
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Journal of neurotrauma · Aug 2011
ReviewThe impact of specialized centers of care for spinal cord injury on length of stay, complications, and mortality: a systematic review of the literature.
Specialized centers of care for spinal cord injury (SCI) were first established in 1944 in England. The objective of these centers is to improve care and neurological recovery of patients suffering from a spinal cord injury. An interdisciplinary group of experts composed of medical and surgical specialists treating patients with SCI formulated the following questions: (1) Is there any evidence to suggest that specialized centers of care in SCI decrease the length of patient stay? and (2) Is there evidence that specialized centers of care for SCI reduce mortality and secondary complications? A systematic review of the current evidence was performed using multiple databases to answer these two specific questions. ⋯ Recommendations were then formulated based on the evidence available and were reviewed by a panel of experts using a modified Delphi approach. Two recommendations were formulated and both received complete agreement from a panel of experts. The first recommendation is "Early transfer of a patient with traumatic SCI to a specialized center of care should be done promptly to decrease overall length of stay." The second recommendation is "Early transfer of patients with traumatic SCI to an integrated multidisciplinary specialized center of care decreases overall mortality, and the number and severity of complications."
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Journal of neurotrauma · Aug 2011
ReviewA systematic review of cellular transplantation therapies for spinal cord injury.
Cell transplantation therapies have become a major focus in pre-clinical research as a promising strategy for the treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI). In this article, we systematically review the available pre-clinical literature on the most commonly used cell types in order to assess the body of evidence that may support their translation to human SCI patients. These cell types include Schwann cells, olfactory ensheathing glial cells, embryonic and adult neural stem/progenitor cells, fate-restricted neural/glial precursor cells, and bone-marrow stromal cells. ⋯ The systematic review makes it very apparent that cells derived from rodent sources have been the most extensively studied, while only 19 studies reported the transplantation of human cells, nine of which utilized bone-marrow stromal cells. Similarly, the vast majority of studies have been conducted in rodent models of injury, and few studies have investigated cell transplantation in larger mammals or primates. With respect to the timing of intervention, nearly all of the studies reviewed were conducted with transplantations occurring subacutely and acutely, while chronic treatments were rare and often failed to yield functional benefits.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Aug 2011
ReviewA systematic review of intensive cardiopulmonary management after spinal cord injury.
Intensive cardiopulmonary management is frequently undertaken in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI), particularly due to the occurrence of neurogenic shock and ventilatory insufficiency and in an attempt to reduce secondary injury. We undertook a systematic review of the literature to examine the evidence that intensive care management improves outcome after SCI and to attempt to define key parameters for cardiopulmonary support/resuscitation. ⋯ The literature supports that, in light of the significant incidence of cardiorespiratory complications, SCI patients should be managed in a monitored special care unit. There is weak evidence supporting the maintenance of MAP >85 mmHg for a period extending up to 1 week following SCI.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Aug 2011
ReviewAssessment of impairment in patients with acute traumatic spinal cord injury: a systematic review of the literature.
The most common primary end-point of the trial on treatment of traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) is the degree of impairment. The American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Standards have been widely used to assess motor function and pin-prick and light-touch sensory function. In addition, pain assessment is another clinically relevant aspect of the impairment in individuals with SCI. ⋯ The visual analog scale (VAS) is the most commonly studied instrument of assessment of pain intensity in the SCI population. However, further investigation is required with regard to its reliability and responsiveness in the SCI population. Our results also suggest that there is no instrument with appropriate psychometric properties for this particular population.
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Journal of neurotrauma · Aug 2011
ReviewAcute pharmacological DVT prophylaxis after spinal cord injury.
A systematic review of the literature was performed to address pertinent clinical questions regarding deep vein thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis in the setting of acute spinal cord injury (SCI). Deep vein thromboses are a common occurrence following SCI. Administration of low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) within 72 h of injury is recommended to minimize the occurrence of DVT. Furthermore, when surgical intervention is required, LMWH should be held the morning of surgery, and resumed within 24 h post-operatively.