Incomplete Traumatic Quadriplegia

Abstract

Incomplete quadriplegia following closed injuries to the cervical spine is studied for future prognosis of this increasingly common lesion. Sixty patients were included in this study and classified into one of four clinical syndromes to correlate the different types of quadriplegia to its final outcome. Interest was focused primarily in the return of function to the lower and upper extremities and to rectal and bladder control. This communication concentrates on two major groups—the central spinal cord syndrome and the anterior spinal cord syndrome which, combined, represent 90% of our series. An ambulation follow-up comparison is made of central cord syndrome and anterior cord syndrome. A more accurate prognosis of cervical cord lesions can be established on a statistical basis.