The dura causes spinal cord compression after spinal cord injury

Abstract

MR scans from 65 patients with traumatic spinal cord injury were analysed; on admission 95% had evidence of cord compression - in 26% due to the dura, and in the remaining 74% due to extradural factors. Compression due to dural factors resolved with a half-life of 8.7 days. These findings suggest that bony decompression alone may not relieve spinal cord compression in the quarter of patients in whom dural factors are significant.