The characteristics of traumatic spinal cord injuries at a referral hospital in Northern Tanzania

Spinal Cord Series and Cases
Sakina Mehboob RashidMarieke Cornelia Johanna Dekker

Abstract

Retrospective study. To describe the epidemiology of traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) in Northern Tanzania. Main referral hospital for Northern Tanzania. A retrospective review of 125 TSCI cases admitted to Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) over a period of 5 years. We included 125 patients in the sample size, with a male majority of 107 (85.6%), giving a male-to-female ratio of 5.9:1. The mean age at injury was 39.9 (±16.0) years. Overall, 66 (52.8%) were farmers and an overwhelming majority (109 (87.2%)) were referrals from peripheral medical centres. Fall injuries accounted for 65 (52.0%) of the admissions and 49 (39.2%) were injured due to a Road Traffic Accident (RTA). Severity of injury was classified according to the American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) and 57 (45.6%) injuries were categorised as AIS A and 68 (54.4%) as AIS BCD. Cervical level injuries (59 (47.2%)) were the most frequent among the cohort. The in-hospital mortality rate was 24.1%. The majority of patients affected by TSCIs were young males and the most common cause was fall injuries. Cervical level injuries were the most common and in-hospital mortality was high.

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Citations

Apr 6, 2019·Journal of Neurosurgery. Spine·Andreas LeidingerRoger Härtl
Jul 6, 2017·Practical Neurology·Marieke C J DekkerWilliam P Howlett
Oct 22, 2019·Spinal Cord Series and Cases·Daniël Cornelis van AdrichemMarieke Cornelia Johanna Dekker
Jul 29, 2020·Spinal Cord Series and Cases·Erikael S NadeMarieke C J Dekker
Nov 27, 2020·Spinal Cord Series and Cases·Haleluya I MoshiMarieke C J Dekker
May 21, 2020·Spinal Cord Series and Cases·Daniël Cornelis van AdrichemMarieke Cornelia Johanna Dekker

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