As the patterns of traffic and industrial development become complicated and moderni-zed, various accidents have been increased recently. Spinal cord injuries alse are more freque-ntly seen recent years and tend to steadily increase in Korea. Attention to spinal cord injury, therefore, has been increased and various experimental works on spinal cord injuries are in progression at many neurological centers. Some of the work seems to have prom-ising future in this field.
We had 53 cases of spinal cord injury admitted to the hospital of medical college of Chungnam National University from 1969 to 1977. Clinical analysis was done and the literatures were reviewed.
51 acses were male and there are only 2 cases of female patient. The highest age incid-ence is between the age of 20 and 50 years(70%). From the aspect of the nature of etiological trauma, fall is the most common(45%) and the next traffic accident (23%).
Weakness of extremities is the most common(89%), and the next is sensory change (87%). The Common site of cervical spinal injury are cervical 5^?6(8 cases), 4-7(7 cases) and 6^-7(5 cases). 7 cases are T12 and 6 cases L1.
The ccmmon complications are urinary tract infection(45%), muscular rigidity(21%), bed scre(17%) and respiratory arrest(15%) in order. 43 cases(81%) were managed with conservative treatment and 10 cases with surgery. Surgery was not performed unless pati-ents retained scme degree cf spinal long tract furcticn which has cersed to improve or was deteriorating. 6 cases(11%) improved completely, 4 cases mcderately, 19 cases slightly, 16 cases died cf respiratory disturbance. There were 3 cases of quadriplegic cervical hyperextension injuries. 2 cases of these improved markedlly, and the remaining one fairly improved and was able to walk.
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