Traumatic injury to the spinal cord. Prevalence in Brazilian hospitals.

Traumatic spinal cord lesions have a worldwide high morbidity and mortality, and in many developed countries the problem has received special attention, based on epidemiological studies. In Brazil these studies have been restricted to institutional data. In 1988 a survey conducted by the Integrated System of Traumatology and Orthopaedics, covering 36 public hospitals from 7 Brazilian capitals, revealed a point prevalence of 8.6% (108 patients) with spinal cord injury, aged from 6-56 years; 81% were men. The most frequent causes were traffic accidents (42%), firearms (27%) and falling from heights (15%). The main complications were pressure ulcers (54%) and urinary infections (32%).