Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, 7200 Cambridge St, Suite 9A, Houston, TX 77030 USA. Electronic address: alexander.ropper@bcm.edu.
Highlights
• Advanced initial assessment and management strategies in the acute setting, and multi-disciplinary personalized approaches in the chronic setting of spinal cord injury may provide functional benefit to patients
• In the acute setting, decompression and stabilization of the spine is recommended
• In the chronic setting, aggressive neuro-rehabilitation is recommended
• The use of multi-sequence MRI modalities, functional imaging, molecular biomarkers and spinal cord perfusion pressure monitoring improve diagnostic accuracy and prediction of functional recovery
• Advances in surgical technology have made treatment modalities such as tendon / nerve transfer and advanced neural interface therapeutic options to improve outcomes in patients with spinal cord injury.