Pilot Study Explores Efficacy of Hypothermia for Spinal Cord Injury

Benjamin R. Cohen, MD Blog Pilot Study Explores Efficacy of Hypothermia for Spinal Cord Injury

Pilot Study Explores Efficacy of Hypothermia for Spinal Cord Injury 

One of the latest approaches to treating traumatic brain injury, hypothermia has been gaining increasing attention for its potential use after spinal cord injuries.

Recent media reports featured the remarkable recoveries of a young gymnast and professional football player who sustained serious spinal cord injuries that left each of them with near complete motor and sensory failure. Hypothermia affects many aspects of the body's responses to injury by changing the rates of activity in numerous biochemical pathways and lowering metabolic activity. It can also slow the post-injury inflammation cascades and reduce the post-injury permeability of the blood brain barrier. Other treatment regimens — like methylprednisolone — work on a single mechanism, and might not provide all the benefits of hypothermia.

Full text of this article can be found on p. 2-3 of the Spring 2012 issue of Winthrop University Hospital's Progressive Neuroscience

You Might Also Enjoy...

How to Tell if You Need Revision Spine Surgery

How to Tell if You Need Revision Spine Surgery
Many back surgery patients are bitterly disappointed when the procedure ultimately proves unsuccessful, and pain, movement problems, and other symptoms return. New ones can develop too. Learn why revision spine surgery can be a turning point.

When is Surgery Needed for Spinal Stenosis?
Overcrowding is never good, which also holds true for your spine. Spinal stenosis is a painful condition resulting from compressed nerves in your spinal canal. Learn about treatments for it, and when it’s time for a surgical solution, here.

What Health Problems Can Spinal Fusion Treat?
So many things can go wrong with your spine and cause excruciating pain and other symptoms. Learn about game-changing spinal fusion surgery and what uncomfortable conditions it can treat here.
When to Consider Surgery for Degenerative Disc Disease

When to Consider Surgery for Degenerative Disc Disease
Water is the source of all life, but did you know that the shock-absorbing discs between your vertebrae dry out as you age, causing pain, pinched nerves, and more? Learn about which treatments offer relief and when you may need surgery.
Will Scoliosis Eventually Resolve On Its Own?

Will Scoliosis Eventually Resolve On Its Own?
Scoliosis, or spinal curvature, affects about 7 million Americans, most of them children and teens, though adults can also develop it. Many wonder if time will resolve the condition. Learn the answer and more here.