Treatment Information

Treatment for a spinal cord injury (SCI) comes in two stages: acute and rehabilitative.  The acute stage includes emergency care and treatment in a major hospital immediately following the accident.  Emergency care will address all the immediate issues associated with the injury, not all of which will be spinal cord-related.  Most likely, there will be significant other issues to address, such as fractures, organ damage, and internal bleeding.  Emergency care is intended to prevent death and stabilize the patient so that further care may be accomplished.

Acute Care

Initial treatment will include immobilizing the area of the spine around the injury to prevent further injury.  A halo may be used to immobilize the head in a neck injury, while for a back injury, any combination of braces, straps, and casts may be employed.  Steroids are often administered during the first 24 hours to help reduce swelling. 

The next phase of acute care is usually surgery.  Surgery may be necessary to remove bone, tissue, or fluid which is pressing on the spinal cord, a procedure known as decompression.  Surgery may also be required to stabilize or realign the spine, often involving the insertion of metal rods, cages, or screws, or bone grafts to fuse vertebrae together.  These actions will again prevent further injury by minimizing further movement which would impact the spinal cord.

A prolonged period of traction/immobilization and bedrest may be required to allow time for fractured bones to heal, or for grafts to take hold.

Rehabilitation

After a two-week stay in the hospital, typically the patient is transferred to a specialty hospital or other facility for rehabilitation.  The goal in this phase of treatment is to restore as much function as possible.  Usually, the patient's rehabilitation is overseen by a doctor known as a physiatrist, who specializes in physical and rehabilitation medicine, including diagnosing and treating pain, and restoring maximum body function.  Under the direction of the physiatrist, other medical professionals will be employed, such as:

• Physical therapists - working to strengthen muscles in functioning parts of the body
• Occupational therapists - training people to relearn or learn new strategies to accomplish daily living tasks
• Social workers - working with patients and families to acquire education, information, and resources to navigate practical financial and emotional issues people with SCI will face.

The course of treatment for spinal cord injury is both long and difficult, and is physically and emotionally exhaustive.  At The Cartwright Law Firm, our attorneys seek to ensure that patients have the financial resources they need to obtain appropriate treatment with the minimum amount of additional stress and worry.  While our clients concentrate on getting better, we concentrate on obtaining a financial recovery that compensates them for the damages they have suffered.  If you or a loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury, contact The Cartwright Law Firm today to discuss the options for financial recovery that may be available to you.