Spinal cord injuries in Iceland 1973-1989. A follow up study.

All traumatic SCI patients in Iceland come to the Neurosurgical Department of Borgarspítalinn, the City Hospital in Reykjavík for their initial treatment. From 1973-1989, 79 (93%) were rehabilitated at Borgarspítalinn. The purpose of this study was to look at the most common complications and the social functions of SCI patients after discharge from the Rehabilitation Department. A questionnaire was sent to 59 of the 79 patients. They represent almost the whole population of the spinal cord injured population in Iceland. Forty-five patients (76.3%) answered the questionnaire, 69% male, 31% female. Sixty-seven percent were under the age of 30 years at the time of injury. Twenty-nine percent had a complete spinal cord injury; 53.3% were wheelchairbound (Frankel grade A, B, C); 55.6% were quadriplegic, and 44.4% paraplegic. The commonest complications were pain (64.4%), urinary tract infections (62.2%) and spasticity (60%); and 58% of the wheelchairbound patients had had pressure sores. Fifty-five point five percent were married; 71% had an active sexual life after the injury; 54% of the wheelchairbound patients were not quite independent and required some assistance with activities of daily living (ADL) tasks; and 29% were not working or studying compared to 11%, who were, before the injury. No significant changes were seen in social function after the injury. The results show that more emphasis must be placed on the prevention of complications such as urinary tract infections and pressure sores and on the treatment of chronic pain and spasticity.