Treatment of chronic ventilatory failure using a diaphragmatic pacemaker.

We present our series of patients with chronic ventilatory failure treated with electrophrenic respiration: 13 males and nine females with a mean age of 12 +/- 11.5 years. The etiology was, 13 tetraplegia, five sequelae of surgical treatment of intracranial lesions, and four central alveolar hypoventilation.

An assessment of factors affecting neurological recovery after spinal cord injury with vertebral fracture.

In order to assess some of the variables associated with neurological recovery after traumatic spinal cord injury with vertebral fracture, a randomised sample of 100 patients (50 without neurological recovery, and 50 with several degrees of recovery) were selected out of 245 patients admitted to our hospital. Both groups were homogeneous with respect to time lapse to admission, hospitalization time and level of lesion. Of the variables considered, the intensity of the lesion (incomplete) and vertebral displacement (under 30%) were statistically associated with neurological recovery.

Outcome after vertebral fractures with neurological lesion treated either surgically or conservatively in Spain.

Out of 245 patients with spinal cord injury admitted to the Hospital Nacional de Paraplejicos of Toledo (110 treated conservatively, 135 treated surgically), randomised samples of 48 cases treated conservatively and 75 treated surgically were selected for comparison. Improved neurological status according to the Frankel scale was achieved in 37.5% after conservative treatment, and in 23% after surgery.

Incidence and risk factors in the appearance of heterotopic ossification in spinal cord injury.

Heterotopic ossification (HO) is a frequent complication in patients with a spinal cord injury (SCI), although the aetiology is unknown. A study was undertaken of 654 SCI patients with traumatic aetiology, admitted for the first time to the Hospital Nacional de Paraplejicos, Toledo, during 1988 and 1989. Of the total number of patients, 85 (13%) were diagnosed HO and 569 without HO.