A Review on the Etiology and Management of Pediatric Traumatic Spinal Cord Injuries

Amira Benmelouka; Laila Salah Shamseldin; Anas Zakarya Nourelden; Ahmed Negida

doi:10.22114/ajem.v0i0.256

A Review on the Etiology and Management of Pediatric Traumatic Spinal Cord Injuries

Adv J Emerg Med. 2019 Oct 10;4(2):e28. doi: 10.22114/ajem.v0i0.256. eCollection 2020 Spring.

Authors

Amira Benmelouka¹, Laila Salah Shamseldin², Anas Zakarya Nourelden³, Ahmed Negida^{4

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Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Medicine, University of Algiers, Algiers, Algeria.
² Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt.
³ Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Damietta, Egypt.
⁴ Medical Research Group of Egypt, Egypt.
⁵ Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.
⁶ Neurosurgery Department, Bahçeşehir University, Istanbul, Turkey.

Abstract

Context: Pediatric traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) is an uncommon presentation in the emergency department. Severe injuries are associated with devastating outcomes and complications, resulting in high costs to both the society and the economic system.

Evidence acquisition: The data on pediatric traumatic spinal cord injuries has been narratively reviewed.

Results: Pediatric SCI is a life-threatening emergency leading to serious outcomes and high mortality in children if not managed promptly. Pediatric SCI can impose many challenges to neurosurgeons and caregivers because of the lack of large studies with high evidence level and specific guidelines in terms of diagnosis, initial management and of in-hospital treatment options. Several novel potential treatment options for SCI have been developed and are currently under investigation. However, research studies into this field have been limited by the ethical and methodological challenges.

Conclusion: Future research is needed to investigate the safety and efficacy of the recent uprising neurodegenerative techniques in SCI population. Owing to the current limitations, there is a need to develop novel trial methodologies that can overcome the current methodological and ethical limitations.

Keywords: Child; Neurosurgery; Pediatrics; Spinal Cord Injuries; Trauma.

Publication types

Review