Spinal Cord Injury Treatments | North Shore-LIJ …

There are a variety of treatment and surgery options for Spinal Cord Injury depending on the affected area of the spine.

Spinal cord injury

is the result of a traumatic injury such as a bruise or contusion, a partial tear or a complete tear in the spinal cord. It can also result indirectly from damage to surrounding bones, tissues or blood vessels.

Spinal Cord Injury Diagnosis Spinal cord injuries are very serious. If you are suffering from any symptoms of spinal cord injury, it is very important to seek immediate medical attention. In order to diagnose your condition, your doctor will perform both a physical and neurological exam. If the location of the injury is not known, one of more of these tests will help locate the exact point of injury:

Nonsurgical Treatment for Spinal Cord Injury Since spinal cord injury is such a serious and time-sensitive condition, it is critical to seek treatment as soon as possible. Time between injury and treatment will have a huge impact on the outcome. Some nonsurgical treatment options for spinal cord injury include:

Surgery for Spinal Cord Injury In many cases, spinal cord surgery is necessary to remove bone fragments, herniated discs, foreign objects, fractured vertebrae and anything that may be compressing your spine. Because there are different types of injuries and different sections of the spine that can be injured, there are many different types of surgery for spinal cord injury:

Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion In this procedure, the spine is operated on from the front. The surgeon removes a disc from the lower part of the spine and replaces it with bone graft. The desired result is for the two surrounding vertebrae to grow or fuse together into one solid bone. Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion This procedure is virtually the same as the anterior fusion except that the surgeon approaches the spine from the back. Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion In this procedure, the spine is approached from the side.

Foraminotomy The foramen, or opening where the nerve root comes out of the spinal column, is widened by shaving away a portion of the bone. Laminotomy Partial removal of the lamina, or bony arches in the canal of the spine Laminectomy Complete removal of the lamina, or bony arches in the canal of the spine Corpectomy The entire degenerated vertebrae is removed and replaced by bone graft. Laminoplasty The lamina, or bony arches in the spinal canal, is cut open on both sides to create an open flap to relieve pressure on the spinal cord. The bone flap is propped open with small wedges or pieces of bone.

The multidisciplinary team of orthopaedic experts at North Shore-LIJ Orthopaedic Institute's Spine Services in New York treats all types of spinal cord injury as well as a broad range of spine conditions that can occur at any stage of life.

Spinal Cord Injury Research The most important question that scientists and doctors are pondering is Can a damaged spine be rebuilt? This question is the fuel behind much of the spinal cord research taking place. The underlying biomechanics of the spinal cord are being looked at closely to determine what inhibits or promotes new growth and why neurons and axons fail to regenerate after injury. Neurons are specialized cells that transmit nerve impulses. Axons are long thread-like parts of a nerve cell that conduct impulses from the neuron. By understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved with spinal cord functions, it is possible to one day understand how to prevent secondary damage, encourage axons and neurons to grow despite injury and eventually reconnect vital neural circuits within the spinal cord.

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Spinal Cord Injury Treatments | North Shore-LIJ ...