Spinal cord injury

With an annual incidence of 13 per million, around 40,000 people in the UK live with spinal cord injury (SCI). The extent of morbidity and mortality and thus quality of life, is highly dependent on meticulous management from the first point of contact with medical services. Treatment is focused on reducing the risk of further cord injury and prevention of secondary (penumbral) damage through avoidable complications. As key members of trauma, theatre, intensive care and pain teams, anaesthetists and intensivists play a crucial role in influencing patient outcome in both the acute setting and in managing patients with chronic SCI presenting for emergency or elective surgical intervention.