Paraplegia
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Comparative Study
Tracheostomy ventilation versus diaphragmatic pacemaker ventilation in high spinal cord injury.
We have made a retrospective comparative study of patients with spinal cord injury, nine with a diaphragmatic pacemaker and 13 with mechanical ventilation. Clinical outcome, cost and subjective satisfaction with both modalities have been evaluated. ⋯ The rate of hospital discharge and satisfaction with the treatment were significantly better for pacers. The time devoted to ventilatory assistance and cost were also more favourable in this group.
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A case of post traumatic thoracic syringomyelia is reported which presented with an acute and severe worsening of the spinal cord condition after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy was performed for ureteral stone. The worsening was probably caused by the shock waves reverberating the fluid within the intramedullary cavity producing further damage to the spinal cord.