Critical care of spinal cord injury ball pa1 author information 1department of surgery dartmouth hitchcock medical center lebanon new hampshire 03756 usa study design review article objectives to review the pathophysiology and management of the pulmonary and hemodynamic derangements that occur after acute spinal cord injury. Traumatic spinal cord injury sci often occurs in patients with concurrent traumatic injuries in other body systems these patients with polytrauma pose unique challenges to clinicians the current review evaluates existing guidelines and updates the evidence for prehospital transport immobilizati . Acute spinal cord injury is a significant problem with long term consequences spinal cord injury can be divided into primary and secondary injuries the focus of treatment is the prevention of secondary injuries it is estimated that up to 25 of the final neurological deficit can be attributed to changes that occur after the initial insult. Pdf approximately 11 000 people suffer traumatic spinal cord injury tsci in the united states each year spinal cord injury critical care treatment sci received august 20 2010 and . Approximately 11 000 people suffer traumatic spinal cord injury tsci in the united states each year tsci incidences vary from 131 to 522 per million people and the mortality rates ranged from