Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: Epidemiology [Neurosurgery Wiki]

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===== Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: Epidemiology =====

==== Definition ====
Traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) is damage to the spinal cord caused by external physical impact, leading to partial or complete loss of motor, sensory, and/or autonomic function below the level of injury.

==== Global Incidence ====
  * **Worldwide incidence**: 10–80 cases per million population per year.
  * **Estimated annual cases**: 250,000–500,000 globally (WHO).
  * **Data limitations**: Underreporting is frequent, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

==== Age and Gender Distribution ====
  * **Bimodal age peak**:
    - Young adults (15–29 years)
    - Older adults (65+), often related to falls
  * **Gender**: Predominantly affects males (~80% of cases)

==== Causes ====
  * **Road traffic accidents (RTAs)**: 35–50%
  * **Falls**: 20–30%, increasing in elderly populations
  * **Violence (gunshot, stab wounds)**: 10–15%
  * **Sports and recreation**: 5–10% (e.g., diving, rugby, skiing)

==== Level and Severity of Injury ====
  * **Cervical injuries**: Most frequent; especially C5–C7
  * **Thoracic injuries**: Higher likelihood of complete injury
  * **Lumbar injuries**: Often involve cauda equina syndrome
  * **Severity**:
    - Complete (ASIA A): ~30–40%
    - Incomplete (ASIA B–D): ~60–70%

==== Mortality and Disability ====
  * **High early mortality** in cervical and high thoracic injuries
  * **Leading cause of permanent disability** in young adults
  * **Life expectancy**:
    - Reduced compared to the general population
    - Improving with advances in acute and rehabilitative care

==== Epidemiological Trends ====
  * **Aging population**: Rise in fall-related TSCI among the elderly
  * **Prevention efforts**: Decline in RTA-related TSCI in high-income countries
  * **Technological advances**: Better prehospital care and surgical management

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[[traumatic_spinal_cord_injury|← Back to TSCI main article]]