Although rare, some of the most tragic examples of medical malpractice involve patients who are paralyzed as result of preventable surgical spinal cord injury (SCI), which is spinal cord injury sustained during surgery. Each year, numerous individuals suffer life-altering and painful spinal cord injuries as a result of negligent care.
Spinal Cord Injuries usually cause severe swelling of the spinal cord from the location of the injury downward. As such, patients with spinal cord injuries to the upper part of the spinal column suffer from a greater loss of function and mobility, as more of their bodies are affected. Spinal cord injuries fall into two main categories:
Complete (Total) Spinal Cord Injuries – no functioning below the level of injury; or
Incomplete (Partial) Spinal Cord Injuries – some feeling and/or movement below the injury, but impaired.
Disabilities Associated With Spinal Cord Injuries
Victims of spinal cord injuries can experience a wide range of health issues beyond a loss of mobility, including:
- Quadriplegia
- Paraplegia
- Loss of muscle control
- Loss of bladder/bowel control
- Muscle spasms
- Infections
- Sexual dysfunction
- Ventilator dependence
- Dependence on tube feeding
- Depression/anxiety
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