Can a relatively large spinal cord for the dural sac influence severity of paralysis in elderly patients with cervical spinal cord injury caused by minor trauma?

This study investigates whether the size of the spinal cord relative to the dural sac (the membrane surrounding the spinal cord) affects the severity of paralysis in elderly patients who experienced cervical spinal cord injury from minor trauma, such as falls. The researchers measured the spinal cord and dural sac sizes using MRI and CT scans and correlated these measurements with the severity of paralysis as assessed by the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scoring system. The study found that a relatively large spinal cord compared to the dural sac at the C5 vertebral level was associated with more severe paralysis in elderly patients with spinal cord injuries caused by minor trauma.

• 1
  A significant negative correlation was observed between the JOA score (indicating severity of paralysis) and the spinal cord/dural sac ratio at the mid-C5 vertebral level.
• 2
  No clear relationship was found between the JOA score and the bony canal anteroposterior diameter (APD) or the spinal cord compression ratio.
• 3
  Multiple regression analysis confirmed a significant negative correlation between the JOA score and the spinal cord/dural sac ratio at mid-C5.