What happens in acute care right after a spinal cord injury?

Authors: SCIRE Community Team | Reviewer: Arlene Aspinall and Tova Plashkes | Published: 17 February 2017 | Updated: ~

After a

traumatic

SCI, emergency care typically begins at the scene of the injury. Emergency first responders assess any injuries, provide emergency treatment, protect the spine, and supervise transport to the hospital. Suspected spinal injuries may go to the nearest hospital or to a hospital with specialized trauma services.

For people with non-traumatic SCI, early health care may be more variable, depending on the cause of injury and how it progresses. Some people may already be in a hospital because of another health problem or go to their family doctor if their symptoms develop more slowly.

Most people arrive at the hospital through the emergency department, where their injuries are assessed by an emergency physician. Various exams and tests are used to diagnose their injuries. They are then admitted to a hospital unit depending on their medical needs. This may be the

intensive care unit

(ICU), a neurology or spine unit, or a general hospital ward. Some people will go directly to surgery from the emergency department.

Unless new complications arise, a person usually moves from the ICU, where there are more resources to help the very sick, to units that are meant for people who have further recovered (a hospital ward). From there, the team will assess when they are ready to move on to their next step, whether that is the community, rehabilitation, or another hospital.