Respiratory complications and mortality risk associated with thoracic spine injury.

Background: Cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) has a well-established association with a high risk of respiratory complications. We sought to determine whether high-thoracic (HT) SCI was associated with a similar increased risk of respiratory complications and death.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of all adult patients with thoracolumbar injuries entered into the Pennsylvania Trauma System Foundation registry between January 1993 and December 2002.