Understanding thoracic Spinal Cord Injury : A Comprehensive Guide

1
(No Transcript)
2
What is a Spinal Cord Injury?

• Spinal cord injury (SCI) is the result of a
  traumatic injury that bruises, partially tears,
  or completely tears the spinal cord. Compression
  of the spine or neck can be a potential cause of
  SCI.
• Common symptoms of an SCI include weakness, loss
  of muscle function, bowel/bladder control issues,
  loss of sensation.
• The two types of SCI are
• Complete SCI Total paralysis below injury level,
  can cause quadriplegia or paraplegia
• Incomplete SCI Partial function remains, some
  communication between brain and body

3
What Happens After An SCI?
An SCI is a devastating and debilitating injury.
It can cause extensive, and sometimes
irreversible damage. The two medical terms used
to describe an SCI patients condition
are Quadriplegia/Tetraplegia Loss of movement
and feeling in arms, legs trunk, pelvic
organs Paraplegia Loss of function and feeling
from the waist-down (trunk, legs, and pelvic
organs)
4
What is a Thoracic Spinal Cord Injury?

• The thoracic spine, consisting of twelve
  vertebrae (T1 to T12). It is situated in the
  upper and mid-back region, connecting the
  cervical and lumbar spine. The spinal cord within
  this segment is responsible for transmitting
  signals between the brain and the rest of the
  body, facilitating motor function and sensory
  perception.
• A thoracic spinal cord injury (SCI) refers to
  damage or trauma affecting the spinal cord within
  the thoracic region of the spine. Thoracic SCIs
  may be caused by including traumatic incidents,
  such
• Falls
• Motor accidents
• Sports injuries
• Non-traumatic factors diseases, infections, or
  degenerative conditions
• The severity of a thoracic SCI depends on the
  extent of the damage to the spinal cord, which
  may lead to varying degrees of impairment.

5
Symptoms of Thoracic Spinal Cord Injury

• Most common symptoms are
• Motor impairment, paralysis, weakness in legs
• Spasticity Increased muscle tone and involuntary
  muscle contractions, leading to stiffness and
  spasms
• Autonomic dysfunction Blood pressure
  irregularities, temperature regulation, sexual
  function changes, bowel and bladder dysfunction
• Sensory changes Loss of sensation, altered pain
  perception
• Respiratory issues, bowel and bladder control
  problems, spasticity
• Lets look at symptoms by injury level,
• T1-T5 Injuries Affects upper thoracic segments,
  impacting hand/arm function and respiratory
  muscles
• T6-T12 Injuries Affects abdominal muscles, lower
  back, and legs

6
Additional Complications

• Neuropathic pain (burning, tingling, or shooting
  sensations)
• Musculoskeletal pain (from changes in posture and
  mobility
• Pressure sores caused by reduced mobility
• Depression
• Anxiety

7
SCI Rehabilitation at Plexus

• We offer customised rehabilitation plans that
  feature a combination of
• Physiotherapy - This can help individuals improve
  mobility, strength, and flexibility through
  targeted exercises.
• Occupational therapy - It encourages the
  individual to regain independence by teaching
  them adaptive techniques for activities of daily
  living, community re-entry, and other tasks that
  they may like to engage in such as housework,
  caring for others, work/school etc.
• Respiratory Therapy - We regularly assess and
  monitor respiratory function, recommend breathing
  exercises to improve lung expansion and prevent
  post-SCI complications like atelectasis, teach
  coughing techniques to clear airways, implement
  strategies to improve posture and chest
  expansion, and other interventions deemed
  necessary by experts (based on the individuals
  symptoms and severity of injury).

8
SCI Rehabilitation at Plexus (Cont..)

• Stem cell therapy - Injected mesenchymal stem
  cells (MSCs) can provide trophic support to the
  injured spinal cord microenvironment. This is
  done by modulating the inflammatory response,
  increasing vascularisation and suppressing cystic
  change.
• Mobility Aids and Assistive Devices - These
  include wheelchairs, braces and other aids to
  improve mobility and everyday functionality, and
  reduce external dependence.
• Plexus also provides psychological support and
  counseling for patients, families, and
  caregivers.
• It is important to keep in mind that management
  of SCI symptoms is based on the following three
  factors
• Severity of injury
• Swift medical response to reduce secondary damage
  as much as possible
• Consistent rehabilitation

9
At Plexus, our team of experienced SCI
specialists is headed by Dr Naeem Sadiq, Indias
foremost neurologist and stem cell
specialist. To know more about our
rehabilitation programmes, you can reach out to
us on the below numbers WhatsApp [phone]
42087 Call 91 78159 64668 (Hyderabad) 91
82299 99888 (Bangalore)