Survey of the neurological evolution of 300 spinal cord injuries seen within 24 hours after injury.

A grouped Franco-Swiss study on 300 cases of spinal cord injury gives an overall view of the neurological evolution of the spinal cord injuries or cauda equina lesions. The importance of initial and repeated examinations is stressed. Sensory sparing distant to the lesion is of great importance, especially that of pain. A great number of patients showing neurological progress was observed at the end of the first month and at the beginning of the following three months. The influence of steroids is tentatively discussed. No complications due to this therapy have been observed on the condition that their use is very limited in time. Statistically speaking, there has been no difference of evolution in the two groups, the majority having been treated orthopedically.