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Spinal Conditions in the Athlete pp 17–24Cite as

Considerations for Spinal Cord Injury in the Athlete

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Abstract

Although rare, catastrophic cervical spine injuries resulting in acute spinal cord injury (SCI) do occur as a result of athletic events. An acute SCI can be thought of as an initial traumatic primary injury with a secondary injury that follows as a result of the progressive cascade of events that results in tissue destruction and systemic autonomic consequences. The primary injury results from a mechanical insult. The result is disruption of neuronal axons, blood vessels, and cell membranes. This triggers a cascade of processes that define the secondary injury phase. During the secondary injury phase, necrosis results from mechanical disruption of cellular membranes, with simultaneous upregulation of cytokines and release of glutamate; together these processes can lead to further cell death. The early stages of the secondary injury are thought to be critical areas where medical intervention can benefit the patient. The interventions most commonly used today include surgery, maintaining high perfusion pressures, intravenous steroids, and induced hypothermia. Other medical modalities have been investigated with mixed results at this time.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA

    Joseph E. Molenda, Brian T. David & Richard G. Fessler

Authors
  1. Joseph E. Molenda
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  2. Brian T. David
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  3. Richard G. Fessler
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Brian T. David .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA

    Wellington K. Hsu

  2. Columbia Orthopedic Group, Columbia, MO, USA

    Tyler J. Jenkins

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Molenda, J.E., David, B.T., Fessler, R.G. (2020). Considerations for Spinal Cord Injury in the Athlete. In: Hsu, W., Jenkins, T. (eds) Spinal Conditions in the Athlete. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-26207-5_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-26207-5_2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-26206-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-26207-5

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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