close

How soon after a spinal cord injury should surgery be performed? - David Chen, MD

Topics menu

How soon after a spinal cord injury should surgery be performed?

David Chen, MD

Medical Director, Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Program, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
Read Bio More Videos by David Chen
Transcript
It is not always essential to do surgery immediately or urgently after a spinal cord injury. The timing of surgery, after a spinal cord injury, varies a lot from surgeon to surgeon, and from individual to individual. Part of the reason, for the diffe... Show More

It is not always essential to do surgery immediately or urgently after a spinal cord injury. The timing of surgery, after a spinal cord injury, varies a lot from surgeon to surgeon, and from individual to individual. Part of the reason, for the difference maybe the stability of the individual right after the injury, because there are so many things going on after a spinal cord injury, a surgeon needs to be confident that an individual has the ability to tolerate major surgery like this. In addition, the judgment of the surgeon is important in terms of their concern about if there is some neurologic function still present, and there’s evidence of compression on the spinal cord, the surgeon may want to do surgery earlier rather than later.

Show Less
add

How soon after a spinal cord injury should surgery be performed?

David Chen, MD

Medical Director, Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Program, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago

 More Videos by David Chen
Transcriptadd

It is not always essential to do surgery immediately or urgently after a spinal cord injury. The timing of surgery, after a spinal cord injury, varies a lot from surgeon to surgeon, and from individual to individual. Part of the reason, for the difference maybe the stability of the individual right after the injury, because there are so many things going on after a spinal cord injury, a surgeon needs to be confident that an individual has the ability to tolerate major surgery like this. In addition, the judgment of the surgeon is important in terms of their concern about if there is some neurologic function still present, and there’s evidence of compression on the spinal cord, the surgeon may want to do surgery earlier rather than later.

Other expert answers on this topic

play_arrow
What kind of surgery is common after a spinal cord injury?
play_arrow
What surgical interventions are available for scoliosis?
play_arrow
Can scoliosis be slowed or prevented?

Personal experience videos related to this question

Hospitalization After a Spinal Cord Injury: Personal Experiences with Paralysis
View all
play_arrow
Jeremy – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Jamie – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Ryan – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Sarah – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Aric – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Alicia – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Mark – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Ken – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Josh – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Drew – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Zac – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Minna – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Pete – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Angela – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Nick Scott – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Mark – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Dorian – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Joe – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Bernadette – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Audrey – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Marie – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Barry – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Rose – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Molly – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Tricia – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
James – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Vic – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Saalim – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Pat – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Marzet – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Jenn – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow Megan - paraplegia - hardest part of first days in hospital
Megan – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Michele – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Don – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Jennifer – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Christopher – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Stephanie – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Carrie – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Joel – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Sandra – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Michelle – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Tony – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Eric – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Nick – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Carol Ann – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Antonio – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Mary Ellen – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Jack – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Riveria – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
John – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Darren – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Hector – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
play_arrow
Joey – What was the hardest part of the first days in the hospital?
How soon after a spinal cord injury should surgery be performed?
close