====== Spinal Cord Injury Classification ======

[[Spinal cord injury]] (SCI) is classified based on **neurological level**, **completeness**, and **severity** using the **ASIA (American Spinal Injury Association) Impairment Scale (AIS)**.

===== 1. Neurological Level of Injury (NLI) =====
- The **lowest** spinal segment with normal sensory and motor function on both sides of the body.
- Tested segment-by-segment:
  * Sensory: Dermatome testing
  * Motor: Myotome testing

===== 2. Completeness of Injury =====
- **Complete injury**: No sensory or motor function is preserved in sacral segments (S4–S5).
- **Incomplete injury**: Some sensory or motor function preserved below the injury level, including sacral segments.

===== 3. ASIA Impairment Scale (AIS) =====

^ Grade ^ Description ^
| **A** | Complete: No motor or sensory function in S4–S5. |
| **B** | Sensory Incomplete: Sensory but not motor function preserved below the level, including S4–S5. |
| **C** | Motor Incomplete: Motor function preserved; more than half of key muscles have muscle grade <3. |
| **D** | Motor Incomplete: Motor function preserved; at least half of key muscles have muscle grade ≥3. |
| **E** | Normal: Motor and sensory functions are normal. |

===== 4. Zone of Partial Preservation (ZPP) =====
- Only used in **complete injuries** (AIS A).
- Refers to dermatomes and myotomes below the neurological level that retain some function.

===== Notes =====
You can expand the examination by adding:
  * Standard sensory key points
  * Standard motor key muscles
  * Reflex testing
  * Deep anal sensation and voluntary anal contraction (for sacral sparing)


----



[[Complete spinal cord injury]].

[[Complete transection spinal cord injury]].

[[Incomplete spinal cord injury]].

[[Cervical spinal cord injury]].

[[Traumatic spinal cord injury]].