Lesión medular de causa osteoarticular / Spinal cord injury due to osteoarticular causes

Introducción. La lesión medular es una de las discapacidades más trágicas, debido a sus secuelas. La incidencia varía entre 9 y 53 lesionados por millón de habitantes. Las lesiones por causa no traumática suponen un número significativo de casos, pero no se han estudiado bien. Nuestro objetivo fue el estudio descriptivo de las lesiones medulares no traumáticas, de tipo osteoarticular, en nuestro centro. Pacientes y métodos. Se realizó un estudio retrospectivo de las historias clínicas de los pacientes remitidos a nuestro centro por lesión medular no traumática, degenerativa, en el período comprendido entre 1998 y 2002. Evaluamos la edad, el sexo, la clasificación de la lesión neurológica según la ASIA (American Spinal Injury Association) en el momento del ingreso y en el del alta, la afectación completa (motora y sensitivo) o incompleta, el nivel de la lesión y la causa que la provoca. Resultados. Encontramos 365 historias de pacientes con lesión medular no traumática. De ellos, 45 (12,3%) correspondían a lesiones de tipo osteoarticular. El grupo de edad y la causa más frecuente fueron 56-69 años y estenosis de canal, respectivamente. Se observó un predominio del sexo masculino y de lesión incompleta. El nivel neurológico más afectado fue el cervical. Conclusión. En nuestro centro, la lesión medular no traumática de causa osteoarticular se produce predominantemente por estenosis de canal, con mayor incidencia cervical. Se produce preferiblemente en varones de 56-69 años y suele dar lugar a lesiones incompletas. Dichos datos se correlacionan con los observados por otros autores (AU)

Introduction. Spinal cord injury is one of the most tragic disabilities, because of its sequelae. Incidence ranges between 9 and 53 cases per million inhabitants. Injuries due to non-traumatic causes account for a significant number of cases but they have not been studied in depth. Our objective was to conduct a descriptive study of osteoarticular-type nontraumatic spinal cord injuries in our centre. Patients and methods.We carried out a retrospective study of the medical records of patients referred to our centre because of non-traumatic, degenerative spinal cord injury between 1998 and 2002. We evaluated age, sex, neurological injury classification according to the ASIA (American Spinal Injury Association) on admission and on discharge, complete (motor and sensory) or incomplete involvement, level of the injury and how it was caused. Results. We found 365 records of patients with non-traumatic spinal injuries, 45 (12.3%) of which were osteoarticular- type injuries. The age group and most frequent cause were 56-69 years and canal stenosis, respectively. There was seen to be a predominance of males and incomplete injury. The neurological level that was most affected was the cervical spine. Conclusions. In our centre, the majority of cases of non-traumatic spinal cord injury due to osteoarticular causes are produced by canal stenosis, with a greater incidence in the cervical spine. It is more often observed in 56 to 69-year-old males and usually involves incomplete injuries. Such data match those obtained by other authors (AU)

[Spinal cord injury due to osteoarticular causes]. / Lesión medular de causa osteoarticular.

INTRODUCTION: Spinal cord injury is one of the most tragic disabilities, because of its sequelae. Incidence ranges between 9 and 53 cases per million inhabitants. Injuries due to non-traumatic causes account for a significant number of cases but they have not been studied in depth. Our objective was to conduct a descriptive study of osteoarticular-type non-traumatic spinal cord injuries in our centre. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We carried out a retrospective study of the medical records of patients referred to our centre because of non-traumatic, degenerative spinal cord injury between 1998 and 2002. We evaluated age, sex, neurological injury classification according to the ASIA (American Spinal Injury Association) on admission and on discharge, complete (motor and sensory) or incomplete involvement, level of the injury and how it was caused. RESULTS: We found 365 records of patients with non-traumatic spinal injuries, 45 (12.3%) of which were osteoarticular-type injuries. The age group and most frequent cause were 56-69 years and canal stenosis, respectively. There was seen to be a predominance of males and incomplete injury. The neurological level that was most affected was the cervical spine. CONCLUSIONS: In our centre, the majority of cases of non-traumatic spinal cord injury due to osteoarticular causes are produced by canal stenosis, with a greater incidence in the cervical spine. It is more often observed in 56 to 69-year-old males and usually involves incomplete injuries. Such data match those obtained by other authors.