Objective: To determine whether neurological outcome is improved in traumatic spinal cord-injury patients who had time-related surgery.

Methods: A retrospective evaluation of a nonconsecutive cohort of patients with a spinal cord injury (SCI) from C₁ to L₁ were reviewed. Data evaluated included patient ’s age, level of injury, neurologic exam according to the Frankel Grading System, the performance of surgery, mechanism of the time-related SCI decompression, and motor index score (MIS). The analysis included a total of 50 eligible patients. The neurologic and functional outcomes were recorded from hospital admission to the most recent follow- up.

Results: In the cases of SCI, no significant correlation between time-related spinal cord decompression and motor movement was found. A greater improvement in motor function, regardless of the timing of surgery was seen in cases of incomplete spinal cord injury (p=0.02). Complications related to the presence of SCI were similar in both operated and non- operated groups.

Conclusion: The results of this study revealed no significant difference in neurologic outcomes between observation and early (within 24 hours after injury- mean: 15.2 hours) or late (more than 24 hours- mean: 11 days) surgery in patients with a traumatic SCI.

Hakim Research Journal 20069(3): 50- 57.