Liaison psychiatry in a spinal injuries unit.

Spinal cord injury may produce both immediate and long term stress and disability. The liaison psychiatrist may have an important role in dealing with the problems of the spinal cord injured patient, his family and the medical team. Problems occurring may cause or be exacerbated by psychological difficulties. Problems occurring during rehabilitation and long term adjustment have not been systematically studied. Many assumptions concerning the psychological responses to injury have been made. Such assumptions have important implications for both the short and long term treatment of patients. This paper examines some of these areas.