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Spinal Cord Injury in the Elderly Population

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Treatment of Spine Disease in the Elderly

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Abstract

Spinal cord injuries (SCI) follow a bimodal distribution with the highest incidences observed in young adults and in the elderly. As a result of the aging population, spine surgeons will increasingly encounter elderly patients with SCI. The most common SCI’s in the elderly result from falls with cervical hyperextension-related injury. Several physiologic factors both predispose the elderly to falling and put them at risk for SCI resulting from these low velocity accidents. Treatment options vary, depending on the clinical presentation, radiographic findings, and comorbidities. Regardless of treatment option, SCI-focused rehabilitation is an essential aspect of post-SCI care.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine—New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA

    Jacob L. Goldberg, Sertac Kirnaz & Michael S. Virk

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  1. Jacob L. Goldberg
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  2. Sertac Kirnaz
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  3. Michael S. Virk
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Correspondence to Jacob L. Goldberg .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA

    Kai-Ming G. Fu

  2. Departments of Neurosurgery & Rehab Medicine, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA

    Michael Y. Wang

  3. Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medical Center, New York, NY, USA

    Michael S. Virk

  4. Dept. of Orthopedic Surgery, Leatherman Spine Center, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA

    John R. Dimar II

  5. UCSF Neurosurgery, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Praveen V. Mummaneni

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Goldberg, J.L., Kirnaz, S., Virk, M.S. (2023). Spinal Cord Injury in the Elderly Population. In: Fu, KM.G., Wang, M.Y., Virk, M.S., Dimar II, J.R., Mummaneni, P.V. (eds) Treatment of Spine Disease in the Elderly. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-12612-3_14

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