Risk factors of iatrogenic spinal cord injury during cervical or thoracic spinal surgery / 中华创伤杂志

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveTo find out the risk factors causing iatrogenic spinal cord injury (ISCI) so as to provide theoretical support for reducing the spinal cord injury during spinal operation. Methods A retrospective study was done on 120 patients undergone cervical or thoracic spinal( C1-T12 ) surgery at Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from January 2002 to January 2009. The patients were randomly divided into injury group (n = 34) and control group (n = 86) and the univariate analysis was used to analyze 30 factors including clinical factors, iconography factors, operation and pathology factors as well as possible protective factors. Then, the factors with statistical difference were analyzed by using the multi-factor unconditioned Logistic analysis.Results The univariate comparison between the two groups showed statistical difference ( P ＜ 0. 05 ) in nine factors including combined hypertension, combined diabetes mellitus, preoperative ASIA grade, spinal canal stenosis rate, ratio of spinal cord area/efficient area of vertebral canal, spinal cord MRI T2WI high signal, bleeding amount during operation, intraspinal prominence adhesion to dura mate of spinal cord as well as intraoperative use of methylprednisolone. The multi-factor Logistic regression analysis revealed that ASIA grade, value of spinal cord area/efficient area of vertebral canal, spinal cord MRI T2W1 high signal and bleeding amount in operation had positive correlation with ISCI. Use of methylprednisolone during operation had negative correlation with ISCI. ConclusionsCombined diabetes mellitus, ASIA grade, spinal cord MRI T2W1 high signal, ratio of spinal cord/vertebral canal area and bleeding amount in operation are the risk factors for ISCI. Use of large dose methylprednisolone exerts preventive effect on ISCI.