The journal of spinal cord medicine
-
The International Standards for the Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI) were recently reviewed by the ASIA's Education and Standards Committees, in collaboration with the International Spinal Cord Society's Education Committee. Available educational materials for the ISNCSCI were also reviewed. ⋯ The Standards Committee also noted that, although the 2008 reprint pocket booklet is current, the reference manual should be revised after proposals to modify/revise the ASIA Impairment Scale (AIS as modified from Frankel) are considered. In addition, the Standards Committee adopted a process for thorough and transparent review of requests to revise the ISNCSCI.
-
Review Case Reports
Dorsal epidural intervertebral disk herniation with atypical radiographic findings: case report and literature review.
Intervertebral disk herniation is relatively common. Migration usually occurs in the ventral epidural space; rarely, disks migrate to the dorsal epidural space due to the natural anatomical barriers of the thecal sac. ⋯ Dorsal migration of a herniated intervertebral disk is rare and may be difficult to definitively diagnose preoperatively. Dorsal disk migration may present in a variety of clinical scenarios and, as in this case, may mimic other epidural lesions on magnetic resonance imaging.
-
To report over a 10-year period the statewide prevalence and incidence of medically attended adverse health conditions in people with new traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI). ⋯ People with TSCI experience diverse adverse health conditions in the 10 years after initial injury. An interdisciplinary health care provider team approach to allocating resources and implementing countermeasures to prevent or limit occurrence of these conditions is vital to these patient's continuum of care.
-
Case Reports
Spinal schistosomiasis: differential diagnosis for acute paraparesis in a U.S. resident.
Spinal schistosomiasis is a severe presentation of Schistosoma mansoni infection, which is endemic in South America, the Middle East, and sub-Saharan Africa. With increasing international travel, a disease can spread from an endemic area to another part of the world easily. ⋯ An increasing incidence of international travel is increasing the likelihood of US physicians' encountering this treatable condition. Travelers with spinal schistosomiasis may not have symptoms of systemic infection. Therefore, it is important to include spinal schistosomiasis in the differential diagnosis of acute inflammatory myelopathy, particularly with a history of travel to endemic areas.
-
Comparative Study
Comparing quantification of pain severity by verbal rating and numeric rating scales.
Researchers have reported widely varying correlations among the 3 main instruments used to quantify pain severity, Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Verbal Rating Scale (VRS), and Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), both at the level of groups and at the level of individuals. ⋯ There are considerable differences between individuals in how NRS and VRS are used; there also seem to be individuals whose understanding of the meaning of the VRS adjectives is completely different from what was assumed by the creators of this VRS. Both VRS and NRS data must be used with extreme caution by SCI clinicians and researchers.