[Organization and management of a department for patients with paraplegia. Patient clientele during the first 2 years].

Since January 1st 1985 seven, later only four, beds in the neurosurgical department, Rigshospitalet, were used to care for the problems associated with spinal cord or cauda equina damage. In the first two years, 21 women and 95 men aged 15 to 75 were treated in collaboration with an out-patient clinic and a rehabilitation hospital for patients with spinal cord injuries. Forty-five were admitted in the acute phase. Unstable fractures/dislocations were treated with spondylodesis in 22. General principles of management included intermittent catheterization, turning every 2-3 hours and anticoagulation therapy. Spinal stability was obtained in all cases submitted to operation. Incomplete lesions from medullary cone or cauda equina improved substantially, while complete spinal cord lesions remained so (in 27 patients). Next to urinary infection and concretions decubitus was the most frequent reason for admission in later phases in the remaining 71 patients 6 months to 40 years after the injury. Comprehensive, specialized care for patients with para- or tetraplegia in the acute phase and also in later phases can reduce the number of complications and the economic costs, encourage research work and reduce insecurity for the patients.