The historical evolution of the management of spinal cord injury

The history of spinal cord injury (SCI) is long and fascinating. From Ancient Egypt to the current day, SCI has gradually shifted from being seen as an inevitably fatal condition, to one most amenable to treatment, albeit not yet cure. Several controversies have paved the path of this condition’s history, from the question of whether to treat, to the optimal timing of surgical intervention, to the potential of recent novel therapies. This article traces the major developments in the management of SCI, in addition to many broader historical developments relating to SCI.