Experiences with high tetraplegics

Abstract

Of the 1468 patients with traumatic spinal cord injury who were admitted to the Texas Institute for Rehabilitation and Research (TIRR) between 1959 and 1977, 67 patients were complete tetraplegics with motor levels of C4 and above. The age, sex, motor level, aetiology of injury, and initial and final vital capacity of these patients are analysed. A substantial gain in vital capacity was attained in all C4 motor tetraplegics regardless of their initial vital capacity. Twenty patients with motor levels of C3 and above have been admitted to TIRR since 1963. Five of these 20 C3 and above tetraplegics have had bilateral phrenic stimulators implanted. The mortality rates and causes of death in these groups of patients are presented. Survival curves are presented on 615 traumatic spinal cord injuried patients as compared to a standard matched group. Survival curves are also presented for the two groups of high tetraplegics who were admitted to TIRR from 1963 through 1969 and from 1970 through 1977.