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The Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine Volume 42, 2019 - Issue 4
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Research Articles

Epidemiology of traumatic spinal cord injury in childhood and adolescence in Galicia, Spain: report of the last 26-years.

E. Canosa-HermidaUnidad de Lesionados Medulares, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de A Coruña (INIBIC). Complexo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruña (CHUAC), A Coruña, Spain;Servicio de Medicina Física y Rehabilitación, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de A Coruña (CHUAC), A Coruña, SpainCorrespondence[email protected]
ORCID Iconhttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-0678-5959
ORCID Icon,
R. Mora-BogaUnidad de Lesionados Medulares, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de A Coruña (INIBIC). Complexo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruña (CHUAC), A Coruña, Spain;Servicio de Medicina Física y Rehabilitación, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de A Coruña (CHUAC), A Coruña, SpainORCID Iconhttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-6052-4434
ORCID Icon,
J.J. Cabrera- SarmientoUnidad de Lesionados Medulares, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de A Coruña (INIBIC). Complexo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruña (CHUAC), A Coruña, Spain;Servicio de Medicina Física y Rehabilitación, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de A Coruña (CHUAC), A Coruña, Spain
,
M.E. Ferreiro-VelascoUnidad de Lesionados Medulares, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de A Coruña (INIBIC). Complexo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruña (CHUAC), A Coruña, SpainORCID Iconhttp://orcid.org/0000-0001-5079-146X
ORCID Icon,
S. Salvador-de la BarreraUnidad de Lesionados Medulares, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de A Coruña (INIBIC). Complexo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruña (CHUAC), A Coruña, SpainORCID Iconhttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-9810-7548
ORCID Icon,
A. Rodríguez-SotilloUnidad de Lesionados Medulares, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de A Coruña (INIBIC). Complexo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruña (CHUAC), A Coruña, Spain
&
A. Montoto-MarquésUnidad de Lesionados Medulares, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de A Coruña (INIBIC). Complexo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruña (CHUAC), A Coruña, Spain;Departamento de Medicina, Universidade da Coruña (UDC), A Coruña, SpainORCID Iconhttp://orcid.org/0000-0003-1773-365X
ORCID Icon show all
Pages 423-429 | Published online: 23 Oct 2017
 
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Abstract

Objective

To analyze the characteristics of traumatic spinal cord injury in children of Galicia (Spain).

Design

Descriptive and retrospective study.

Methods

Data extracted from the internal registry of the Spinal Cord Injury Unit and the patient's medical records, between March 1988 and December 2014. Inclusion criteria: patients aged ≤ 17 years with a traumatic spinal cord injury.

Outcome measures: Total patients, percentages, incidence, ASIA scale results and improvement.

Results

A total of 68 patients were included. The incidence was 5.6 cases/1,000,000 inhabitants/year.

The mean age was 14.4 years (median: 16). Only 25% were younger than 15. Male patients accounted for 73.5% of the total.

The main cause were traffic accidents (60.3%; n = 41), being higher (77.8%) in children ≤ 10 years. Other etiologies included falls (19.1%), diving accidents (16.2%) and other causes (4.4%).

Eleven patients (16.2%) had injuries classified as SCIWORA, 8 (72.7%) of them aged ≤ 10 years. The mean age of the SCIWORA group was 7.5 years versus 15.7 years in the non-SCIWORA group (P < 0.001). Half (50%) of these patients had a complete spinal cord injury and, of these, 64.6% were paraplegic.

Conclusions

Traumatic spinal cord injuries are rare in children, and most cases occur between 15 and 17 years. Unlike in adults, SCIs in children mostly involve the thoracic spine. Most patients aged ≤ 10 years have SCIWORA. The most common etiology continues to be traffic accidents, although sports accidents prevail among adolescent patients.

Disclaimer statements

Contributors None.

Declaration of interest The authors report no declarations of interest.

Ethics approval None.

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