Open AccessIntra-hospital complications in acute traumatic spinal cord injury
Author(s) -
Victor Figueiredo Leite,
Daniel Rúbio de Souza,
Marta Imamura,
Linamara Rizzo Battistella
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
acta fisiátrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2317-0190
pISSN - 0104-7795
DOI - 10.11606/issn.2317-0190.v25i1a158833
Subject(s) - medicine , complication , pneumonia , spinal cord injury , urinary system , acute care , surgery , trauma center , intubation , spinal cord , retrospective cohort study , psychiatry , health care , economics , economic growth
There is scarce data about intra-hospital complications in acute traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI). Objective: To report characteristics of complications in patients with TSCI in a major trauma center. Method: This is a cross-sectional study with 434 patients with acute TSCI from 2004 to 2014. Outcomes were frequency and description of complications, length of hospital stay (LOS), and causes of increased LOS. Results: Patients presented at least 1 complication in 82.2% of the cases: urinary tract infection (UTI) = 64.4%, pressure ulcers (PU) = 50.6%, and pneumonia = 23.7%. Pneumonia, intubation and cases of surgical corrections for PU were independently associated with increased LOS. Conclusion: UTIs and PUs were the most frequent complications. Investigating its causes and consequences is paramount in the care of patients with SCI. Possible reasons for such complications could comprise time, and frequency of repositioning in bed. Investigating intra-hospital complications is paramount in SCI centers.