Incidence of medical complications in spinal cord injury: patients in specialised, compared with non-specialised centres.

Facilities providing a co-ordinated 'system' of care to the spinal cord injured are now more accepted as being preferable to fragmented 'non-system' facilities. Data reflecting the incidence of selected complications common to spinal cord injury were collected over a 2-year period from a system located outside the United States and from 'non-systems' within the United States. The latter was defined as care provided in community facilities prior to entry into one of 14 model United States spinal cord injury centres. All complications occurred more frequently in the American group, particularly decubitus ulcers and urinary tract infections. The data suggest that system care is preferable to non-system care in its capacity to prevent costly complications and the sooner the spinal cord injured patient is referred to a spinal cord centre capable of meeting all his needs, the less likely will he be exposed to complications that could slow the rehabilitation effort.