Management of non-traumatic paraplegia.

Spinal cord damage with resultant paraplegia or quadriplegia is associated with special problems that require expert attention, irrespective of the cause of the damage. Where the damage results from disease, as opposed to acute trauma, it is easy for these problems to be overlooked while attention is directed to the disease. A review is presented of 109 patients with spinal cord damage of non-traumatic origin who were treated in a rehabilitation hospital. A plea is made for the recognition of the special needs of such persons, for the early involvement of spinal rehabilitation expertise in the management team, and for the availability of adequate and appropriate rehabilitation facilities.